Raising preflop when called by better

I am having lots of trouble dealing with the following players/table dynamics, where I can steal a lot, but often only get called by better.
Consider a table with lots of the following type:
(I find a lot of these players at the current 25NL tables at PP)

VPIP/PFR: 35/5/
Calling raises: 5%

In general, the following is going on:
- There is a lot of limping
- Raising ranges are very small
- Calling ranges are very small

As a result people fold a lot to my preflop raises, so I am stealing a lot. When I do get called I am often behind.
Usually there is not a lot of FE postflop, certainly not after the flop.

My standard raise size is 4BB+1BB per limper and I play 19/14.
I have been raising limpers like it’s my job and in general find myself winning the dead money preflop or loosing quite some medium sized pots postflop, which happens to result in a lot of –EV sessions lately.

Q1. Is it actually most profitable to raise these particular limpers with the following type of hands and why:
- 67s
- A3s
- ATo
- 22
why is it better than limping behind?
If your answer is that there is a lot of dead money, than please consider why 67s is that much better than 84s or Q8o.

Q2. If I have the opportunity to raise A3s or 67s type of hands and steal the blinds often, or limp and get in lots of like 4-way pots and can play fit or fold for big pots. Is limping ever the correct move?

Q3. Should I create a limping/overlimping range at these specific tables? What type of hands should be in that range?
(I can’t get rid of the idea that there is lots of EV in a fit or fold strategy, like 35/10 preflop)

Q4. Lately my thinking about preflop is that it is mostly a way to put ourselfs into profitable postflop situations.
(As we usually raise 4 to win 1,5, I don’t think we primarily do it for the EV)
Is this thinking flawed?
Am I putting myself into profitable postflop situations by raising a lot on these tables?

Sometimes you raise QJ, get called by AQ, and take it down on a rag flop. Sometimes you raise 67s, get called by JJ, and take it down on an ace high flop. As long as you understand the caller isn't loose passive, postflop becomes a snap. If he calls your continuation shut down unless you hit something to stack them with.

These players are easy to play against, really.

Rondavu, I wish it was that easy, because my usual play would be massively +EV that way.

But most of the players at these stakes don't fold AQ on rag flops or JJ on A high flops anymore for one street of betting.
They (most of them probably without knowing) just often make the right counter play to my raising and c-betting range.

One way to counter act that is double barreling more, but that gets quite expensive and it all has to be won back once for it all to be +EV.
I also think I'll get too spewy because there isn't that much FE in general.

Another way is making them change their calling range. For example I could start raising 2BB or 3BB or 6BB (though 6BB would likely be a bad thing).

A third way is to change my preflop raising range. I am struggling a lot how though.
Nitting it up could be it, but I believe these tables offer way too many oppertunities to play so few hands.
Also, IMO, there has to be hands that profit from these specific table conditions by limping in/behind. Because we can see flops cheap and get paid when we hit....(of course this is very general).
I do wondering if I get the idea well enough to choose the right hands and opponents AND I do wonder if it is actually true.

I just don't do it atm because I believe(d) that raising is key to winning. But after 20000 hands struggling at 50NL and 25NL to these players I am wondering if there are better ways.

minsim, i am in the same boat currently. i am at 45-50k hands myself, though.

i have tried both limping and raising. i have tried to isolate and 2 barrel. i have tried to play fit or fold. all to no avail. i just cant find my heater to overcome the all the expensive "experimentation."

you are correct about having little FE past the flop. and about 2barreling becoming expensive when missing.

but consider this....

could you just be running poorly? i know i am. when i start hitting cards again, i will ruin these guys. and quickly, too.

when i plan to 2barrel, and hit my card on the turn, they are toast to "value town." when i fire a cbet on my pp and hit my set on the turn, they will get stacked. fire two streets with an OE and hitting it on the river...then the c/r ai. all the lines that work when you are running hot just arent coming in right now.

just make sure you are betting your "potential" the same as your "weak mades." and keep folding to aggression in your face. this sets you up as the type of player that can be "run over." and, that, i'm convinced is what these guys are looking for. they want to raise your cbets and blow you off the pot. they want to minbet the flop and watch you fold. they want to shove the river and see you drop your hand.

LET THEM!!

its when you complete as you go that you will get them back....as long as you let them continue to spew their 2nd pair or underpairs. dont get so happy to raise them back. let them continue to fire away.

keep the pots cheap. wait for real hands. pounce with c/r's when they hit. you take shots at small pots only. only mix it up in the bigger pots when you have a lot of potential. start donking a little yourself to find who the "donk raisers" are, and crush them.

you'll figure it out, but its going to take some time.

if you have little to no FE postflop, then when you do get a big hand you should get a stack. when your two callers completely whiff on the flop, you should get to pick up a decent pot. when everyone folds again after two people limped in, you get a small, but still decent pot.

as long as you aren't spewing unnecessarily in this game it should be easy money. just keep stealing the small pots that are available and taking down the large ones with your big hands.

when people are willing to go broke with TP, the overpairs are even more powerful. I think in this game if you are putting your stack in with an overpair 9 out of 10 times on the flop, you are going to be making money (note: I just made that number up and have done no math whatsoever to back up that statement, but it should be close to correct.)

if your opp won't fold AQ on a ragged flop, then get full value out of your 67s that flopped a pair. Just make sure that you have your opp read correctly. Not all will call any flop bet postflop, separate the ones that will from the ones that won't and adjust your play accordingly. Sure the guy who always calls flop (and sometimes turn) bets with missed overs might have a big pair, but how often do those come around. Most likely he doesn't, so bet again. Three streets of value with what will most likely be at best 2nd pair by the river may be pushing it a little, but sometimes.

Figure out what hands they are playing, don't play the hands that play badly against that range.