What is "limping in ?"

Limping in refers to the action a player takes when they join a pot without raising it. For example, if the blinds are $5/$10 a player would put $10 in the pot and limp in. He would match the big blind bet without raising it.

Dont become prey

Because you are not actively betting or showing strength, limping in is generally considered to be weak, passive play. Many poker pros advise that you should either raise or fold because limping in will immediately make you a target of other aggressive players around the table.

The prey turns into predator

However, some players will deliberately limp in with strong hands. They know that their opponents will think them weak and will often raise them in an attempt to knock them off the pot. This then allows the limping player to come over the top with a re-raise, thereby squeezing his opponent for more money.

A little limping never hurt anyone

If you continually limp in you will become predictable and the other players will take advantage of your weakness. However, if you continually raise, players are going to get used to that too. So a little limping, used conservatively, can keep players guessing what you are up to and prevent them from guessing your hand.