Situation Late in tourney I write articles for another website and recently wrote this, it is about late position reraises in limit holdem, give it a look
Limit Holdem is a special sort of animal. It is a "value based" game in that you must be far more concerned with pot odds and making the most of your strong hands. In No-Limit, one well-timed hand can net you a handsome profit, but in Limit you must grind that profit from value plays. There are endless strategies for increasing value opportunities in Limit and I think that often these plays get overlooked.
One of the most overlooked strategies is the pre-flop raise. Many people in late position are happy to see the flop with a call of an early position raise. This idea of seeing cards cheaply is prevalent and sometimes presents a flaw in logic. That flaw occurs when there are multiple callers in middle position of the early position raise. In cases such as this, it is generally wise to NOT call the raise, but rather to make another raise. If you have a hand you are willing to call the raise with, then you have a hand that is worth a raise. The additional implied value of the middle position callers will make it worth your while. Very few callers will shy away from calling another raise once they have enough money invested in the pot, and this has several benefits:
The first benefit is that you establish an image of power from late position. You are far more likely to get a free look at the turn card should the flop miss the early and middle position players. Should the flop hit one or more of your opponents, it gives you the opportunity to play a semi-bluff or draw for value.
An additional benefit comes in the form of tightening the table up a bit. If you make people pay to see flops, it is likely that they will stop trying to limp with marginal hands such a Q8 suited. It may take a few raises from late position to get it through their thick skulls, but eventually you will exert control over the table. The late position raise will also provide you with information. Since you have an idea of the table landscape, a re-raise will allow the players to expose the strength of their hands. If you are re-raised from early position, you can trust that he/she has something golden, and the additional money in the pot allows you a flop with value on your draws.
Value is the prime benefit of the re-raise. You will build a very healthy pot at little risk to your own bankroll. If six players called the original raise, then it is quite likely your additional raise will draw 6 times the money (as they call again). Pot building becomes much more risky and much less lucrative once cards have hit the board.
I do not advise you all to go out and begin raising every pot you enter, but when the opportunity is present, I hope you will see it and seize it. The value of the late position re-raise is not something to be taken lightly. When employed properly it should increase the short-term playability of hands and your long-term winnings. |