"raising to isolate"

Can someone explain what this is, and when it applies / should be applied?

Thank You

[Ricardido]

I like to use this in multi-way pots when i want to get headsup with the original raiser and he has caller/s- for example when i hold a big pocket pair/AKs and cold caller seems to be a bit weak.

When it gets round to me- ill reraise with the expectation of the original raise calling and the coldcaller folding leaving me getting headsup with villain.

This is also used in tournament games when say UTG pushes on a small stack and you go over the top to get everyone out and leave you to have it headsup in an effort to knockout the shortstack on your own.

[wiggs73]

Pre-flop, if you have QQ (or just about any strong hand really) in late position and you get 3 limpers to you... you'd probably want to "raise to isolate".

It's a raise that's designed to get most, but not all, people out of the pot. In general, hands are easier to play against one person rather than many, and a raise will often accomplish this goal.

I've seen this term used in this forum to get heads up preflop with a supper aggro opponent with "any two cards" - is there any merit to this approach?

[Ghazban]

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I've seen this term used in this forum to get heads up preflop with a supper aggro opponent with "any two cards" - is there any merit to this approach?

[/ QUOTE ]
I've never seen that approach lauded in this forum.

[xorbie]

Depends on the context. I will often raise after a very bad limper with some less than great cards because I have position on him and want to be the only one to get to take his money postflop.

[Phoenix1010]

When a weak player to your right raises (or limps), you raise/reraise to shut everyone out of the pot so you can play the weak player heads up in a raised pot with position. You don't have to have a strong hand (you're assuming that they have weaker hands than a normal raiser/open limper would, or they'll play their strong hands more passively), you just have to be able to outplay them postflop.

[ QUOTE ]
I've seen this term used in this forum to get heads up preflop with a supper aggro opponent with "any two cards" - is there any merit to this approach?

[/ QUOTE ]

Its just used to increase your odds, your odds of winning a pot with 8 players seeing it and u only have top pair isnt good but if u get a better and u raise, then it will take other players out and therefore isolate you with the original better

[The_Bends]

The greater difference between your ability postflop and the weak player you're trying to isolate the worse cards you can raise against him.

Note of caution, this approach is very high varience even when it works because you'll be playing big pots with average cards.