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i've been running into this ALOT...4 people limp in...someone at the end min raises, wtf? should i be wary of this min raise or just carry on with my hand? or am i wasting chips
This is almost always a dumb move by a dumb player. It accomplishes pretty much nothing. Unless you have a very strong inclination otherwise, you can usually safely assume that the player has a mediocre hand. You get this crap a lot at lower limits. Because it usually means a mediocre hand, I like to put in a real raise when the action gets back to me to isolate them and then make a continuation bet on the flop. It usually works and if nothing else I feel better for raising them purely out of spite. If you don't want to raise you should at least call. If you're willing to call one bet before the raise, why wouldn't you be willing to call one bet into a now much bigger pot?
also blind defence when it's you and the small blind and he decides to raise you...should i presume this is a normal raise or that he is trying to steal my blinds?
Well what are you reads? If it's me then more likely than not I'm trying to take your blind. Is your opponent that type of player? I wouldn't get a habit of assuming that every raise is a steal attempt. You can't always defend because you'll be spewing chips. You can't always fold though either because you'll get taken advantage of. The first thing you need to consider is how likely is the raise to be a steal attempt. You then need to consider your hand. It doesn't matter if you're 100% certain that your opponent is trying to steal if you don't have a hand worth defending with.
i've got myself into the habit of calling after reading HOH1 and he says if its you and the big blind only, always raise so the big blind doesnt get a cheap flop. i seem to be wasting chips here by calling and then representing the flop too much just so i dont seem weak. what should i do?
Quit being a robot and be a poker player. Harrington's books are great but you need to apply his advice to your situation. Does it make sense to raise from the SB with junk if the BB is a calling station? What if the BB is very tight? Analyze the situation first instead of going on autopilot because Dan Harrington told you to. As a general guideline I would say that if you're hand is good enough to complete the SB then it is good enough to raise with. You also have to remember that if you get called you're going to be out of position for every betting round so at least want some sort of a hand. Don't just automatically throw out a continuation bet either. Stop and analyze the flop. Consider the range of hands your opponent would be likely to call with and then compare it to the flop. If you consider the flop to be favorable for you then go ahead and bet.
I know these are generalizations, but that is because knowing your opponent is very important. You are going to be in these situations with marginal hands so your reads are crucial. The more you are unsure, the more you should be play your hand straight forward.
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pre flop min raise? and blind defence
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