I use Poker Tracker a lot, and have noticed lately when I did my note export of raised hands that there are a ton of players who raise their sm poket pairs. Can anyone shed some light on the reasoning behind this.

is it right or wrong for sure?

If you're playing at a very tight table, and the pre-flop raise has a reasonable chance to win the blinds then this isn't a bad move to use occasionally. It allows you to frequently win the blinds outright, and if you do hit a set you tend to get paid off more because it is more disguised than normal and the pot is already larger so your bets have a greater chance to be called or raised. It can also liven up a tight table if you do hit and win a big pot (and end up with your cards being shown).

But if you are on a table where more pre-flop raises are not going to win the blinds very often then I think it is a terrible play. You are costing yourself more money than you should for the chance to draw to a flopped set. Your implied odds are not nearly as good than when someone else raises and you call with your pocket pair. (The chance of someone else having a big pair or flopping TP/TK are lower if you are the raiser, so the chance of a big flop bet is lower).

And if someone does have a big pocket pair and you raise before it's their action, you're likely to get re-raised enough that you do not have the implied odds to call and hit your set, forcing you to fold a hand that could have been a long term winner.

All in all I do not like raising with small pocket pairs, but there is a time and place for it.

Well said, Jav. I agree.

One more thing, someone made a post the other day about raising AA and KK and never getting callers. If thats the case, you could raise with a small pair and show your cards if everyone folds. Do that a couple times and you should start getting some action.

Another good way to play small PP, even 22 is in a very deep stacked game vs bad players. In a situation where the stacks are very deep and there is one or two fish with a big stack, my goal and purpose is to try to make one hidden monster and take it all from them on one hand. Raising with a small PP builds the pot, if you miss you check, if you hit it no one is going to put you on a set of 2's.