This thought will probably become a column someday. I was the big blind in a $30-$60 hold’em game. One weak player (WP) limped in middle position, and the small blind, a mediocre player who thinks he is a pro, completed from the small blind. I had A8 offsuit and decided to raise. I thought I likely held the best hand, would not get action if an ace flopped and, most importantly, the small blind might fold if I raised. WP called and the small blind folded. On the flop of Ah7d7h, I led out and was called. The 8h on the turn gave me two pair but put a possible flush out there. Since I was up against only one guy, I bet. He called again. On the river, another ace hit, and I bet again. WP raised, I re-raised, he called. I showed my nut full house and he showed A9.

The question is, can his raise be useful against a good player? If I have an ace, we will split. If I don’t, I will almost certainly fold. So the only time his raise makes a difference is when I happen to have one of the two hands he can’t beat (A8 or 77). This is wildly unlikely, but it can happen.

The effect of this sort of raise is even more exaggerated at No Limit. Now, a raise with an almost nut hand can leave you facing a massive reraise.

When raising on the river with a non-nut hand, you need to make sure your opponent might have a losing hand he can call with.