Min raising KQ preflop

[Martin Carlsson]

Usually a min raise preflop is a good indication that you are up against a weak player. But in this thread I want to discuss under which circumstances a min raise whit KQ is the only reasonably move you can make.

At the end of a MTT, the table is 7 to 10 handed, the blinds are high relative to your stake, but you are not in any real danger jet. You’ve noticed that the table is a bit too loose, a bit too aggressive, and a bit too many hands get called all the way to show down.
This should not be an unusual situation for you.

Let’s make an example.
For the sake of simplicity, let’s just say that all the players involved have your stack covered – (note that no player is desperate to go all in)

You have 2.200 in chips, CO(one of the button) whit KQo in the hole, tree limpers, the blinds are 200/100.

What would you do?

You could fold. But good hands don’t come along that often. With 2.200 in chips and those blinds, you want to make a move ASAP.

You could call. Let’s say that the button and the blinds call – then the main pot is 1.400 and you have 2.000 left. If you don’t hit your hand you are done whit the hand. If you hit (say Kxx or Qxx) you won’t know if you have the best hand. Someone could be trapping from EP whit AA, KK, QQ, AK and even AQ or JJ just waiting for someone behind them to raise so they can go allin. If it is checked to you after the flop, it is dangerous to go allin because a 2.000 raise to a 1.400 pot will (usually) only be called whit a better hand.

A standard raise(3-5 * BB) is maybe the worst thing you could do. You have no chance of winning the pot before the flop, and you are pot committed whit a semi weak hand.

But let’s say you just raise to 400. Chances are that only the blinds and the limpers will call, you are not pot committed if some EP trapper goes allin preflop. If you don’t hit your hand it has only cost you 400 and if you hit, you have 1.800 in chips, the pot is 2.400 and you are 6-handed so someone is bound to call your allin raise.

You have ~30% chance to hit your hand on the flop, it cost you 400 if you miss or get re-raised preflop – and you will probably triple your whole stack if you hit.

How do you like that – please comment.

Martin Carlsson

[runout_mick]

[ QUOTE ]
Usually a min raise preflop is a good indication that you are up against a weak player.

[/ QUOTE ]

Because a good player will push, or fold given reads, in this situation...

[Martin Carlsson]

Yes a min raise is usually a very weak play. You tell the other players that you have some kind of hand - and you let hands like 76s and 66 limp too cheap.

Martin Carlsson

[Spee]

[ QUOTE ]
You have 2.200 in chips, CO(one of the button) whit KQo in the hole, tree limpers, the blinds are 200/100.

What would you do?

You could fold.

[/ QUOTE ]

Folding is awful, in limit or no limit.

So that leaves calling, raising less that max and raising the max. Any one of the three could be valid, depending on the situation, the players, distribution of the better players (whether to your left or right), the tournament, etc.

How you play preflop sort of dictates how you are going to play on the flop. If you haven't thought these three things through, then that is the first step.

Obviously, if you jam it is a major semi-bluff and there should be at least some chance that everyone will fold. With three limpers in and a few yet to act, the chances of getting all folds is slim. Exit the jam.

With a min-raise or med-raise, you expose yourself to a steal and more or less commit yourself to jamming the flop if it hits you in any way shape or form. However, I think the raise here is more suited to limit play than no-limit, where in limit you are raising to build a pot in case you get a good flop.

So that leaves the call as my preferred play here, with no other table information to work from.

[AceLuby]

[ QUOTE ]
At the end of a MTT, the table is 7 to 10 handed, the blinds are high relative to your stake, but you are not in any real danger jet. You’ve noticed that the table is a bit too loose, a bit too aggressive, and a bit too many hands get called all the way to show down.
This should not be an unusual situation for you.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have never seen this situation. Every time I get deep most PF raises take the blinds, or someone pushes PF or on the flop.

In the situation above I'm probably just pushing and trying to pick up the pot right there. Nice try though.

Also, we have 11 BB's, this is very orange zone closely approachin red. For me, I'm in push or fold mode.

[runout_mick]

[ QUOTE ]
Yes a min raise is usually a very weak play. You tell the other players that you have some kind of hand - and you let hands like 76s and 66 limp too cheap.

Martin Carlsson

[/ QUOTE ]

We have 11 BBs with limpers before us. You advocate minraising.

Seems like a weak play from a weak player to me...

[AceLuby]

[ QUOTE ]
Seems like a weak play from a weak player to me...

[/ QUOTE ]

Hit it RIGHT on the head there...

To the OP, read on for a few more weaks, read the anthology and I wouldn't start posting 'new' ideas until you really grasp the concepts on this forum. Also read all of the Harrington on Hold'ems.

[Martin Carlsson]

Think about the risk reward ration. What this min raise does is testing if some one is trapping and it is building the pot. If you raise more, you are totally pot committed, KQ is a weak drawing hand - but if you can be sure that no one has AA, KK, QQ, AK or AQ, KQ is a strong drawing hand just like AK.

Calling is just too dangerous 7 handed – if the flop comes Q 7 6 – how would you play? You have to make a stand due the chance someone has a str8 draw or an A – if some one has AA, KK, QQ or AQ you are dead.

Martin Carlsson

[runout_mick]

[ QUOTE ]
If you raise more, you are totally pot committed,

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry, I understand now.

I didn't realize if we went all-in we'd be pot committed.

Definitely a good spot for a minraise (unless we're allowed a 1 1/2 bb raise. Are we?).

[Martin Carlsson]

To everybody (except Spee) why do you answer? If you don’t have anything positive to contribute, please do not contribute – it is very easy to say “this won’t work” but if you can’t say why – please don’t bother.

Martin Carlsson