I love first/EP in the home game that I play because everyone at the table knows that I am aggressive and also the most likely to checkraise. I rarely if ever bet out in first position in our limit ring game (unless I want to try to push out a draw), but when I check quickly after seeing the flop in 1st position it's amazing how often it gets checked around. This gives a LOT of possibilities on the turn for betting out and/or checkraising.
I obviously still prefer late position, but often I think I'd rather be in EP than in middle position after the flop in this game.

In tournaments, unfortunately, I've been getting killed recently after acting first. I tend to get overly aggressive and end up getting raised seemingly whenever I make a play for the pot. If it's no limit I don't want to be in EP post-flop simply because I play it poorly. Either I make too many mistakes or I walk into monsters behind me.

Originally Posted by Kliph

In the right situations I've found that I can steal the blinds better UTG that I can on the button.

A decent raise pre-flop UTG is almost always seen as holding an excellent starting hand. However, if it's folded around and I raise on the button, it looks more like a steal so I find the blinds more likely to call.

Does anyone else ever experience this....that it can be easier to steal from EP than LP? (mostly in tournaments, not so much in cash games.)

In the cash games I have been playing lately (4-8limit) more than 80% when I am first to raise under the gun I have just been winning the blinds with no flop. I have almost never seen that before in small stakes games but the last 3 sessions it happened to me almost everytime I raised UTG. It's probably just varience but I hate it because I was doing this with AK AA KK and got no callers. You can't just limp reraise because even average players know what that means...so a few times I limped and of course there were 5 limpers and I would get skewered by 56 or other crap. I'm starting to hate AA KK under the gun. I'm usually happy to not see a flop with JJ so that's ok then

Originally Posted by Steve-O

First position is very useful in a tight game. otherwise it's the Kiss of Death.

in a tight game if you raise AJs from EP you get people playing pocket 9s and AQ to fold. In addition to the bluffing opportunities you pick up when you miss in heads up or 3 way pots.

Funny you mentioned this, I raised A10o AJo several timies under the gun tonight, hands that I hate to limp withb UTG and then have someone raise but can't seem to just throw away UTG. Seemed to work really well. I would bet out or checkraise depending on what flopped, only had to throw it away once on the turn. Not sure if this is +ev though but I may screw arounfdwith this some more...

Originally Posted by Kliph

I too have been tinkering with UTG raises in my 5/10 limit game with hands like A10, AJ, KQ etc.

These are easy enough for me to get away from if I need to, but I'm surprised how often I get no callers or maybe the BB will call and then muck to my bet on the flop.

I need to get poker tracker to keep tabs on this stuff.

Same for me... When I catch a long serie of cold cards on the same table I sometimes raise UTG with these hands and I "think" I have good overall results. Cant be sure...

The potetial problem here, is to start thinking that this is the way to go.

KJ