A couple of threads have got me thinking more carefully about the number of people I like to be in a pot with, with certain hands (and the reasons why).

So in NL, assuming you are on the button at a table of 10, the blinds are low (30/15) and you all have the same number of chips (1000), ideally, how many people do you want in the pot with you with the following hands? For how many chips each? And why?

a) 22 - 77

b) 88 - JJ

c) QQ

d) KK

e) AA

f) AK

I appreciate it's a false setup but I'm interested in any comment anyone has

a.) 15
b.) It depends how I'm playing it, if its just for set value I want the whole table, if its playing it as a made hand I want 2-3
c.)2-4
d.)2-4
e.)If I'm all in preflop I want the entire table, if not then 3-4
f.) 3-4

I guess I'm just used to 3-4 seeing a flop so its natural.

This is a simple math problem. Assuming you get all-in, then just easy EV math with a Hand cruncher will do.

LIke with AA, you only get like 170.6% return headsup all-in, but with 9 players, its 279%, Theres a premium numbers of players somewhere in between, you get the idea.

For each of the hands listed, you can find the premium number of opponents EV wise.

I'm attaching a chart that lists the Hands vs opponents % rankings. This will help anybody whose boared enought o figure it out.

Nevermind, it won't take XLS format, so go to www.gocee.com for the chart

in a nl game you can play each of these hands profitably with only 1 opponent.

In limit some of these hands would need a cetain # of opponents to show a profit.

Thanks chaps, guess what led to think about this was the situation when I'm dealt AA and go allin (say to a large raise) preflop. I get 1 caller, I'm happy, I get two I'm thinking triple up, I get three I get anxious, I get four I reach for my coat.

Here's my answers

a) 22 - 77

15 limpers (I agree bonch)

b) 88 - JJ

If played for set then everyone at the table, if I'm short stacked and looking to double then 1

c) QQ

1 or 2

d) KK

2 or 3

e) AA

2 or 3

f) AK

Cheap flop 3 or 4, big raise 1 or 2

For example, if I'm called by 4 people with a 5xbb raise with AK and the flop comes KQ10 I'm fearful that someone has me beat or will if we get to the river. Twice as likely to get paid with 4 as 2 but also twice as likely to get beat is my reasoning.

And of course this could be mathematically expressed to find the optimum number of callers, but I leave that to those who can

Sorry, yeah, I knew that wasnt the answer you were looking for. But I did have a typo, 9 opponents doesnt return 279%, it returns 311%. But 8 players returns 312.5%, so therefore, it is best to get all-in, (in a ring game mind you!) with 8 callers. These are numbers vs 8 random hands, but I actually think that the numbers will go UP if you only comapre to playable hands, since they are more easily dominated by AA than the full set of random hands.

But the question comes down to, with all the hands listed, there is the mathmatically correct way to play it, and then theres the easier/safer way to play it. Its all risk vs reward balancing act.