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Did You Know?
Frank Kasella won his second World Series of Poker bracelet of the summer, becoming the first double-bracelet winner of 2010. There has been at least one double-bracelet winner in each of the last
11 WSOPs.

Making the Minimum Raise in Poker

You are playing Poker Cash Games with some terrible players. The action folds to the player in the cutoff and you three bet from the button. 

The action folds back around to the player in the cutoff and he makes the call. The flop is an unspectacular-looking dry, and low, flop and your opponent checks. 

You decide to make a continuation bet and your opponent check-raises you for the absolute minimum, before breaking out in a smile the Cheshire cat would have been proud of. 

You muck your hand and the player in the cutoff proudly shows everyone at the table that he flopped the nuts - but, of course, you already knew that.

How many of you have been in this position? What did it feel like when it happened to you? Did it annoy you, get under your skin, and rattle your cage? Of course it did, and what did you do? You folded.

If this is what happens when you are facing a min-raise, why don’t you also include it in your play? The reason you probably don’t is because it is such a sub-standard and obvious play. But when did being cool last earn you a profit? 

It makes great sense to introduce the min-raise into your arsenal, as long as you balance with strength and bluffs. 

The best types of flops to select when playing with air in the Betfair Poker Live Cork event are the ace and king high boards, because your opponent has very little option but to fold out all of his air and even some weak-medium strength hands (dependant on opponent type).

The min-raise becomes an excellent play because you only need to succeed about 40% of the time to make a profit.

Last updated 21 November 2013
Making the minimum Raise in Poker