Raising Limpers from the button
It seems like everyone has read an article that says to raise from the button if there are multiple limpers. More and more I have come to expect it. It seems like the button feels obligated to raise if three people limp. When they get called and there is a show-down they often have Q7o or worse. Is it possible that the limpers fold enough that this is a +ev play over the long term?
Comments
Yep! Here is an example today - A limper - then a small raise by the worst hand... I call with KQs and behind me the K9o RE-Raises and the original raiser (J-high) goes allin! I am with you on this one. I dont think the KQ is strong enough to call here... but aparently the K9o has no such doubts!!
PokerStars Game #31846582292: Tournament #188686183, $4.00+$0.40 USD Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2009/08/20 11:14:32 ET
Table '188686183 6' 9-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: Willie227 (1070 in chips)
Seat 2: njdias (1920 in chips)
Seat 3: flyingsafe (1450 in chips)
Seat 4: a dollar job (2800 in chips)
Seat 5: flyfish28 (1210 in chips)
Seat 6: Guido Koch (1890 in chips)
Seat 7: galopindepe (2280 in chips)
Seat 8: berto_boi (1280 in chips)
Seat 9: T 54 T 97s (1330 in chips)
flyingsafe: posts small blind 10
a dollar job: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to flyingsafe [Ks Qs]
flyfish28: folds
Guido Koch: calls 20
galopindepe: folds
berto_boi: raises 60 to 80
T 54 T 97s: folds
Willie227: calls 80
njdias: folds
flyingsafe: calls 70
a dollar job: raises 220 to 300
Guido Koch: folds
berto_boi: calls 220
Willie227: raises 770 to 1070 and is all-in
flyingsafe: folds
a dollar job: raises 770 to 1840
berto_boi: folds
Uncalled bet (770) returned to a dollar job
*** FLOP *** [3h 3d 5h]
*** TURN *** [3h 3d 5h] [5c]
*** RIVER *** [3h 3d 5h 5c] [8h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
a dollar job: shows [9s Kh] (two pair, Fives and Threes)
Willie227: shows [Jc Ts] (two pair, Fives and Threes - lower kicker)
a dollar job collected 2540 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 2540 | Rake 0
Board [3h 3d 5h 5c 8h]
Seat 1: Willie227 showed [Jc Ts] and lost with two pair, Fives and Threes
Seat 2: njdias (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: flyingsafe (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: a dollar job (big blind) showed [9s Kh] and won (2540) with two pair, Fives and Threes
Seat 5: flyfish28 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: Guido Koch folded before Flop
Seat 7: galopindepe folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: berto_boi folded before Flop
Seat 9: T 54 T 97s folded before Flop (didn't bet)
You made a good fold IMO. Even if you KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THEY WERE HOLDING, you made a good fold in tourney play. You were a little less than a 50% favorite to win the pot. That means the most likely outcome would be that you are busted or crippled. In the early stages of a tourney holding 72BB you should NEVER choose a play that will most likely knock you out of the tournament. If you were in a cash game and knew their holdings you would beat them in the pot!!! The pots odds were way too juicy for a 48% hand in a cash game.
And I repeat.... These kinds of raisers drive me CRAZY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That is very true but my issue is that I dont know how to combat that move. There are a lot of bad plays I am in favor of, such as them calling to the river on a gut-shot draw. It's just this one that seems to be difficult to counter due to what ooops said above about not calling even if you know their cards.
Well there is no combating it. That's why the move is good 
You just have to play well overall and that's it.
What do I mean about there is no combating it? It's difficult.
To combat it you HAVE to know that the player is doing it - raising over limpers in late position (mostly on the button) with marginal holdings. Now - against a random player with whom you haven't played before - you can never know if it's a move or he's actually holding something. And if your hand was not strong enough to raise with it preflop and you just limped - how do you want to "fight" him when you're not sure?
If it's against someone you played with before - and you know he's doing something like this OFTEN - the only way is to limp a big pocket pair behind limpers and let him raise. But those perfect occasions (knowing that he's doing it, getting a good hand, limping behind AND him being in LP in that specific hand) are so rare that is it really worth looking for it to make a stand? I don't think so.
Now looking over the hand example you are showing. I believe you played it badly to begin with. You're in a SNG (i believe) at lvl 1 blinds. What exactly are doing calling a raise preflop with KQs in SB? You'll be out of position for the whole hand against the original raiser and you are hoping for what? To flop a K? Then what? Are you good? Guy could have hit a set or have AK. Are you going to go broke with TP 2nd kicker? And if the board did not hit him and you have TP 2nd kicker who is going to pay you? Flopping a flush? You know what are the odds for that? Too high for how many chips you have to put in. A flush draw? Then what? He bets pot and you ... call? Chasing a flush?
It's just bad. This is not a cash game. It's a SNG. KQ (suited or not) is not a hand you want to play here vs a bunch of donkeys at lvl 1 blinds - and ESPECIALLY out of position. You should only play it when you are on the button (maybe cut off) by limping or calling a small raise (3x). That's it.
Thanks for your comments. That makes semse to me. I have been making these "cheap" calls to try and flop a monster, but after thinking about this more, I completely agree with you. I should never have been in that spot, and wouldnt have been if I'd just folded.
If you have history with the guy and you know he is punishing the limpers wide then 3-bet him wide. He will have to give you credit if you do the move infrequently and fold most of his hands. If he flats then donk most dry flops into him if you think he is capable of making the fold.
It's such a profitable move because it's hard to make money out of position against a good aggressive player.
This drives me CRAZY !! I limp in behin three limpers with KQs and the BB raises 6BB!! I cannot defend this move with KQs and when they are called down they often have ZILTCH. What can I do but fold the KQs there???