tenbob
Legend
Silver Level
AAAGGGHHHHHH folks this is a big bone for me at the moment. AND ive seen it in cardschat buy-ins on more that one occasion.
First off we need to know the REASON for a raise. We raise in order to elimnate players pre-flop. We all know that high pocket pairs play poorly in a multi-way pot. So we raise in order to eliminate players, or if it comes to it, take it down there and then.
So you pick up pocket kings on the button in the early stages of a sit and go. The blinds are cheap and there are lots of limpers, a min raise will do NOTHING but sweeten the pot for the eventual winner of the hand, which will more than likely not be you because you forgot to eliminate the limpers.
Case in point last night in a live game i was on the BB with Q 8 o/s. Lots of limpers and a player thats 'beginning' to realise the importance of position min-raised with AKs from the button. Small raise to me, and realising that all of the limpers will call, I take a look at whats going to be a big pot. Flop comes AQQ. Now the min raiser is in serious trouble without realising it. The turn was an 8, and the river a K, giving me the boat, the button top 2 pair, and letting me double up, on a hand i had no business playing. WHY ? Because the button forgot to raise properly. He should have raised 3xBB (+1 for EVERY LIMPER). I would have folded the Q and he more than likely would have won the pot.
Ok, so when is a min raise pre-flop the corrrect play ? Very few times to be honest. Heads-up when you pick up AA in the small blind springs to mind. When the blinds are HUGE, and I mean HUGE. But really as a rule dont do it.
The moral of the story, STOP min-raising pre-flop folks, its weak poker and you deserve to get your aces cracked for doing it.
First off we need to know the REASON for a raise. We raise in order to elimnate players pre-flop. We all know that high pocket pairs play poorly in a multi-way pot. So we raise in order to eliminate players, or if it comes to it, take it down there and then.
So you pick up pocket kings on the button in the early stages of a sit and go. The blinds are cheap and there are lots of limpers, a min raise will do NOTHING but sweeten the pot for the eventual winner of the hand, which will more than likely not be you because you forgot to eliminate the limpers.
Case in point last night in a live game i was on the BB with Q 8 o/s. Lots of limpers and a player thats 'beginning' to realise the importance of position min-raised with AKs from the button. Small raise to me, and realising that all of the limpers will call, I take a look at whats going to be a big pot. Flop comes AQQ. Now the min raiser is in serious trouble without realising it. The turn was an 8, and the river a K, giving me the boat, the button top 2 pair, and letting me double up, on a hand i had no business playing. WHY ? Because the button forgot to raise properly. He should have raised 3xBB (+1 for EVERY LIMPER). I would have folded the Q and he more than likely would have won the pot.
Ok, so when is a min raise pre-flop the corrrect play ? Very few times to be honest. Heads-up when you pick up AA in the small blind springs to mind. When the blinds are HUGE, and I mean HUGE. But really as a rule dont do it.
The moral of the story, STOP min-raising pre-flop folks, its weak poker and you deserve to get your aces cracked for doing it.
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