Min-raiser Tip

The aggravating min-raiser.

It is usually a tactic of an agro or semi-loose player. They usually limp PF on a lot of marginal hands, and bet this style on the flop. They still usually play standard with the big 5 PF.

1 - min-raise flop with nothing.
2 - min-raise flop with big hand. (TPTK or better)

Here's my best guess.

The whole plan is to gather info cheap. They usually step up the betting to normal on the turn. Min-raise again if a scare card (for them) hits.

1 - They limp in PF. If they miss they min bet flop.
A - Everyone folds - they take a small pot.
B - Raised by one or 2 players - they fold, getting the info they needed.
C - If they get only one or 2 callers, they take the call as weakness, and will usually bet nice on turn and take down the pot. Scare card hits turn they min raise again, for info for their river play.

2 - They limp in PF. They hit pretty hard.
A - They min raise to see exactly where everyone else is at. If they get one to 2 callers they usual double the min raise on the turn to see how hard they can push and make on the river.
B - They get raised - it's time to rock because they know that player is willing to go harder and farther with marginal hands due to his table image. They also will often not reraise the other player on the flop but wait for the turn and open the betting with a min raise again. Now they usually get the big action they have been trying to get.

This strategy is a controlled aggression - some people actually run the tempo of the table well and make good money at ring tables. On the tourney front they quite often pull in a lot of small pots due to the overall tight nature of tourneys - especially in mid stages and near the bubble. And accumulating chips only makes there plays stronger and their bluffs run better. Everyone knows the guy is bluffing a lot but are hesitant in risking their chips, because he bets his bluffs the same way he would if he spiked 2 pr.

Slow-playing and calling down this guy till the river, and then putting the smackdown on him works well. He usually over values kickers and 2 pr. He will usually call small raises until the river also with not much of anything.

Another nice play when in position to try it is to check to him on the flop and then min-raise his min-bet. He will likely call. Then give up the aggression on the turn and check to him. He often will throw out a nice raise at you. Come back over top.

Also if he halfway hits the flop he will usually at least call one more nice raise just to see if he improves.

Often raise his min raise on the flop to negate his tactics and/or gain info to how strong he is. Quite often he will call min-raise of his min-bet. You have to at least triple his min-raise. (Ex: $1 min-bet - you raise to $3 - and you will find out where he stands right then and there.)

So don't fear the min-raiser - Know what he is and what he's doing and use it against him to take those chips.

Later.