[AaronBrown]

This is simmilar to check-raising and other slow-play tactics, it has the same basic analysis. The straightforward play with a made hand is to raise. Are you suggesting this tactic as an alternative to a raise, or as an alternative to checking?

I agree with your basic analysis. The minimum bet as opposed to a check makes (a) more likely but less bad, (b) less likely but more good. It also makes (c) and (d) more likely. Depending on the exact situation, this could be better or worse.

Analyzed as a trap, this gives you a more expensive but also stronger protection for drawing hands than a check raise.

My feeling is you want to use all possible weapons. Every bet you make should be open to at least two interpretation by your opponents. Thus if you only check or raise with stong hands, you give away information. So you need a minimum-bet semi-slow play.

Another thing I like about this play is it misrepresents the type of your hand. A straightforward player makes a minimum bet in early position with a medium-strong hand, or a very good drawing hand. So your opponents expect face cards, or a hand with multiple straight and flush possibilities, or maybe Ace/medium card with a flush possibility. If you do this with three nines, they're going to misread the turn and river cards, allowing you to stay in cheap when the odds are against you and pump up the pot when the odds are for you. Then, when your next minimum bet is a straightforward one, they'll misread you again.

I forget, why aren't we all rich?