Facing a constant mini-raiser in level 4 or 5 from the BB

45suited · #1 06-09-2005, 03:52 PM

I will preface this by saying that I am very happy with my results. With over 1000 SNGs at the 11s, my ITM is around 44% and my ROI is about 36% and both numbers have been going up steadily. My numbers (with less games) at the 22s are similar.

I have a question and I'd like to know if this is a leak in my game or just solid play. Here's the situation:

Say the game is down to 6 handed. You're in level 4 with a decent stack (say 1000-1600). You notice that the guy two spots to your left is constantly mini-raising to t200. (He might have even started doing this on level 3.) The other players keep calling and getting outplayed after the flop. Just bleeding chips. Well, in levels 3 and 4, you're chip position is healthy, but it's not enough that you really want to get into a pissing contest with mediocre cards. But obviously the mini-raiser has picked up on this and keeps mini-raising your blind.

Currently, I don't really try to get fancy and play back at a guy like this. I wait. I fold and maintain my stack. I allow the other guys to get bled and bide my time. Or eventually someone picks up a hand and plays back at him and he is dumb enough to call (without proper pot odds) with some weak junk. I get into the money with this patient strategy and if I do pick up a hand, I'm not calling the mini-raiser, I'm popping him in the mouth.

My question is: Am I just playing smart or weak? I mean, as much as I know the guy doesn't have a hand every time, if my position is healthy, I'm just not one to play back at the guy for all my chips with a 9Jo or whatever when I can just lay back and be the initial raiser myself.

Maybe this is the difference between the 11s and 22s and you guys who play the 109s and 215s? At my level, I can just wait for the other guy to screw up. At your level, you probably don't have that luxury.

Anyway, that's my question: Is my play smart or is it weak? My results tell me it is smart, but at the table I feel like a wuss sometimes as I allow the mini-raiser to run me over.

durron597 · #2 06-09-2005, 03:55 PM

Does he always minraise or does he raise more with his better hands?

45suited · #3 06-09-2005, 03:59 PM

The guy always mini-raises, almost every hand. Like I said, the problem is that my stack is healthy, so I don't feel like I need to make a play on him, although I'm sure that a large percentage of the time, he will lay it down if I do. I just don't like to take the chance when I'm in good shape and it seems unnecessary. I try to keep my ego out of the decision process. If I was shorter stacked then the decision would be easy, you know?

dfoote · #4 06-09-2005, 05:00 PM

I seem to be pathologically unable to resist the reraise push in this situation. I am not recommending it, as it gets me in trouble, but that's what I do.

adanthar · #5 06-09-2005, 05:03 PM

Ideally, this would be the time for one of those 'stop and go' things I've heard so much about lately.

Me, I wait for a hand and push...but that may be a leak. There aren't too many of those guys around higher up so I'm not used to them.

vinyard · #6 06-09-2005, 05:07 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I will preface this by saying that I am very happy with my results. With over 1000 SNGs at the 11s, my ITM is around 44% and my ROI is about 36% and both numbers have been going up steadily. My numbers (with less games) at the 22s are similar

[/ QUOTE ]

Totally unsolicited but you shoould probably move up to the 22s "full-time."

As for your actual post we can all thank action Dan for this behavior as he mentions its effectiveness in HOH. I will typically wait for somethig playable (Ax, pair, any two face cards) and push back at him and then give him a little table chatter. Or you can call and outplay him on the flop.

Maulik · #7 06-09-2005, 05:08 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Ideally, this would be the time for one of those 'stop and go' things I've heard so much about lately.

Me, I wait for a hand and push...but that may be a leak. There aren't too many of those guys around higher up so I'm not used to them.

[/ QUOTE ]

higher up there aren't too many guys jamming the BB or mini-raising the BB?

citanul · #8 06-09-2005, 05:15 PM

higher up everyone jams the blinds, no one miniraises.

citanul

Yawkey · #9 06-09-2005, 05:16 PM

When you are facing a bully like this, often the best tactic is to become a calling station against them (only against them). As a regular bully myself, I can tell you nothing is more devastating to my stacks than a good player who just keeps calling and never raises. If I'm not careful I will throw a whole lot of chips to try and buy a pot at the wrong time.

citanul · #10 06-09-2005, 05:25 PM

the problem with calling and seeing a flop is that often you'll have say, 1200 chips or so or even fewer and the blinds are 50/100 or 100/200. you can't just be calling with many hands and playing postflop. your stack is too short.

in general, i make a fair number of any two pushes against opponents observed to play in this fashion. you can't let yourself lose folding equity against such a player, as the game will effectively be over for you. and while there is some room to wait, etc, there isn't a ton. especially if your opponent is raising many pots, not just the ones that are you and him heads up.

citanul