Online Poker Forum - Wussup with the min raises?

OutKasts · Two Pair Joined: 14 Jan 2009 Posts: 60

I notice that a lot of players now days are using the check min raise or if someone C-bet flop they would min raise in position? anyone else notice that TREND to? Question

What's behind this?

lurgertor · Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 2:03 pm Post subject:

Don't know, maybe their lazy and don't want to type in an amount and so just click raise or bet. Maybe they don't want to risk a lot of chips in case you really do have a hand. Maybe they are the ones with the big hand and are scared if they show true strength you'll muck. Or maybe they just forgot how to play poker.

Big Slick x13x · Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 2:27 pm Post subject:

Good players do it because the min raise can be interpreted in many different ways and they can use that to their advantage. Sometimes it's used in position to get the oop aggressor to check the turn and give them a free river. So pot control / free cards is an option. If the opp thinks it's really strong then they'll just fold out at a minimum risk to the raiser. If it looks really weak then the aggressor will 3bet into the raiser's monster and we take down a big pot. So it's really read dependent when it comes to good players doing it.

Other people do it because they feel like they should raise but they don't know how much and they don't want to risk the amount the pot button produces so they just min raise. Or they're a bad player who actually flopped a monster and doesn't want someone to be scared out. Usually the latter from what I've seen. So, in short, develop reads and punish people.

mathman1115 · Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 9:54 pm Post subject:

The min raise used to drive me up a wall, especially PF. Now i find myself doing it, mainly PF but sometimes on the flop as well. It seems to work for the reasons that slick stated - it can be interpreted in many different ways. It can be a profitable play, especially if you do it for different reasons.

TwoFireBall · High Card Joined: 02 Nov 2009 Posts: 10

I think min raises are a terrible idea! I see player min raise to what is the equivalent of a 20th of the pot! You're just asking to to get outdrawn by people hitting their miracle cards, even gutshot straight flush draws are going to call that!

conanav · Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 4:15 am Post subject:

deadmeat82 · Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 4:29 am Post subject:

I used to think that min raising was horrible as well, but after reading up on small ball poker I tend to use it quite a bit in micro cash games now.

I think the use of it is optimal in low stakes ring games. At the lower limits your opponents decisions seem to quite often be fold/call/raise, regardless of bet sizing. They're either going with the hand or they're gonna get rid of it. Therefore, the min raise induces that fold/call/raise at a minimal risk to you.

hghlndr6 · Message Board Junkie Joined: 09 Nov 2006 Posts: 2867

LOL There's a place for min raises in your game. Think: What do I want him to do? What does he think my min raise means? What will he do?

See where I'm going with that? Probably not. It goes so against the grain of the "approved" style of play these days. And that's why it's sometimes so profitable.

Big Slick x13x · Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 9:05 am Post subject:

also if you watch high stakes poker you'll see that when they make raises they're not always 3-4x the bet amount. a lot of times they are only slightly more then a min raise.

UFO1947 · Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 12:29 pm Post subject:

lately everytime a bad player check min raises me it's the nuts or near nuts. for those type it seems they want to raise but not scare you away.

DforDissent · Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 12:35 pm Post subject:

Goodnewsjonny · High Card Joined: 02 Oct 2009 Posts: 18

I find, certainly at a low buy in level anyway, that min re raises often relate to a very specific type of flop. That is paired flops. Say the flop comes down Q,Q,5, the first thing both players think about is does the other have a queen? An easy way for the OOP player to represent the queen is to throw out a small raise that looks like it wants action. The in position player recognises the action immediately as a classic bluff and min re raises to represent he queen himself. I have often been the OOP player in this situation myself and these days I usually re raise the re raise. My reason for doing so is this. At a low level, say a $5 tournament, you are not playing complex opponents, they all know how to checkraise and that's about it. most of them are bad players. If they had a queen OOP they would check call or perhaps check raise and in position they would simply smooth call. If they had a queen would they really min raise? surely they would be too afraid of chasing away their prey. however on a dangerous flop like K,10,A a check min raise from a fish is a big signal to throw away your pocket sevens, his powerhouse 10,2 off suit is going all the way if it needs to and theres nothing you can do about it.

ChipStak · Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 2:09 am Post subject:

bleffo19 · Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 2:56 am Post subject:

unless proven otherwise, for me - min-raise=bad player. they have no idea how to extract value.

it can be used very effectively though by those who know how to control their opponents.

tracybubbles · High Card Joined: 30 Nov 2009 Posts: 3

under the gun w/ a good hand, (say,,qj suited) can be profitable, otherwise, in late pos. , its a waste of $$

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