raise

This is a term used in poker when a player wants to increase the amount that has been previously bet. "Raise" can be used as a noun e.g. "He put in a $10 raise" or a as verb e.g. "He will raise the pot".

To avoid ambiguity most casinos request you verbally announce your raise by saying "raise" prior to placing any chips into the pot. There is also typically a 3 raise limit to prevent a player from being trapped in the middle and cheated. In Mississippi 4 raises are allowed. Colorado has a 5 raise limit, mainly because state law only allows $5 maximum bets and it's the only way for players to build big pots

Despite what it commonly seen in movies and TV, saying "I call your bet, and raise you" does not constitute a valid raise. Once "call" is said the bet stands as a call. This prevents you from waiting to say "raise" until after you see how your opponents react when you say call. Also not allowed (for the same reason) is putting out the amount of chips for a call and then going back to your stacks of chips and putting in a raise amount. Your call and raise chips must go into the pot together or you must verbally announce your raise. Doing this the wrong way is called making a string bet or "string betting".

The concept

A raise, in modern capitalistic corporate work place terms, is an addition made to an employee's periodical salary, due to one's accumulating experience and/or performances.

Salary raises differs greatly in accordance with the work place, economic system and situation.
Big corporations and government related companies may have a standard scale system of employees progress. An employee may get a raise on a periodic basis, skills and diplomas gained within company courses, or with a position promotion. Small independent businesses may have such a system as well, at least as a front. Usually, a raise in this kind of work place relies on the educated whim of the manager and owner.

In all types of work places a promotion is usually accompanied with a raise. The size of the raise varies and depends on many factors such as the local economic situation, but mainly on the importance of the new position. The bigger the responsibility the bigger the raise. Not necessarily with an equal ratio.

A raise may also be mandatory, dictated by the state from time to time, or by law. This is usually the case in countries where the economic system is based on socialist principles, and the welfare of the workers is protected by strong independent trade unions. In Western economies the minimum wages are updated periodically by law, to maintain their value in accordance with the rise of the inflation.
In Israel for example, the state may dictate a raise for government employees in certain cases. This happen when the inflation rises substantially and causes a substantial price rise. This raise is a measure to maintain the current value of government salaries. This kind of raise is called Added Value raise.

Getting a raise

The following part is highly subjective, but hopefully will benefit other skill-less teenagers making their first steps in the world of rock bottom jobs.

Every hard working, minimum wages earning, teenage employee comes to a career turning point. Either he keeps the lousy position in the lousy store/office/whatever -- this usually happens when the teenager actually takes interest in the job -- in hope of getting some kind of position promotion and eventually a raise. Or flushes the crappy, abusing, exploiting job to the sewer and back -- this usually happens when the adolescent really doesn't give a shit about the job, and/or is on the verge of raping the boss's daughter in front of the father nailed with his fat bottom to a chair -- in hope to find a better one, or just living off the unlimited resources of his loving procreators, if such are in existence.

My personal situation has led me to choose the first path. That is, I do take some pleasure and interest in some of my work. And frankly, as a high school drop out lacking any professional skill, this position, in that particular place - a bookstore, is more than I can hope for.

I have been working there for over a year now. I guess it is safe to say I am considered a reliable and experienced employee. Only up until now I have been making minimum wages. For some time I had been planning my brave request for an interview with my boss. Where I would begin by listing my qualities and accumulating experience gained throughout the past year. And hit a nerve when I would tally the number of people I am senior to and make more money than me, purely because of their age.

Being an iNTp type of guy (I took the test, honest), I of course postponed this interview as much as I could. My best friend who had been urging me to ask for the raise I deserved made a very smart observation of the situation:

"What the hell are You waiting for? You think they'll just suddenly remember you deserve a raise?!"

In a way I guess I did.

Funny how things work them selves out for us iNTp fellows.
As summer came and with it the busy season of my department, the school text books, I have been made the unofficial supervisor of the department and in charge of the thousands of personal orders placed throughout the chain.
I was promoted.
I did not get a raise.
Only more responsibility.
A lot More.
I still was reluctant to ask for one.

Finally, over a month after my unexpected position promotion, and over a year in that work place, I ran in to my boss. And during a very casual talk about very casual subjects, she casually commented:

"You've been making minimum wages, haven't you? Yea, I gave you a raise yesterday."

It seems hard work does pay eventually. Though the raise I got is quite insignificant.
Don't be like me.
Be assertive. Not weak.
Or get a lobotomy if you're 'diagnosed' as iNTp.

Well this section is about poker, not career guidance. I'm talking about when you should raise in poker. And there's a fairly straightforward, and generally correct answer (in my opinion) that is easy to see logically. You should raise when you think that your probability of winning after players have responded to your raise (by folding, calling, or raising) is greater than 1 / the number of players you think will call your raise. (well actually you should take into account the house rake). Say you're playing $1-$2 poker and you estimate a 1/4 chance of winning with 5 people (including you) calling your raise. Then there will be 3 times you lose 1 extra dollar for every 1 time you gain 4 dollars. Thus your raise is worth 25 cents. Putting it another way--not raising costs you 25 cents (long-term of course).

I think that's pretty straightforward but sometimes it seems counterintuitive. Often you should raise when you think you're beat, and that doesn't seem reasonable. But I think it's correct play. And you also have the slight chance of removing players who would have beat you on top of my analysis. Obviously there are other considerations besides the ones I've mentioned...but as a general rule can anybody dispute my analysis?

Raise (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Raised (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Raising.] [OE. reisen, Icel. reisa, causative of risa to rise. See Rise, and cf. Rear to raise.]

1.

To cause to rise; to bring from a lower to a higher place; to lift upward; to elevate; to heave; as, to raise a stone or weight.

Hence, figuratively: --

(a)

To bring to a higher condition or situation; to elevate in rank, dignity, and the like; to increase the value or estimation of; to promote; to exalt; to advance; to enhance; as, to raise from a low estate; to raise to office; to raise the price, and the like

.

This gentleman came to be raised to great titles. Clarendon.

The plate pieces of eight were raised three pence in the piece. Sir W. Temple.

(b)

To increase the strength, vigor, or vehemence of; to excite; to intensify; to invigorate; to heighten; as, to raise the pulse; to raise the voice; to raise the spirits or the courage; to raise the heat of a furnace

.

(c)

To elevate in degree according to some scale; as, to raise the pitch of the voice; to raise the temperature of a room

.

2.

To cause to rise up, or assume an erect position or posture; to set up; to make upright; as, to raise a mast or flagstaff.

Hence: --

(a)

To cause to spring up from recumbent position, from a state of quiet, or the like; to awaken; to arouse

.

They shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. Job xiv. 12.

(b)

To rouse to action; to stir up; to incite to tumult, struggle, or war; to excite

.

He commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind. Ps. cvii. 25.

Aeneas . . . employs his pains, In parts remote, to raise the Tuscan swains. Dryden.

(c)

To bring up from the lower world; to call up, as a spirit from the world of spirits; to recall from death; to give life to

.

Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead ? Acts xxvi. 8.

3.

To cause to arise, grow up, or come into being or to appear; to give to; to originate, produce, cause, effect, or the like.

Hence, specifically: --

(a)

To form by the accumulation of materials or constituent parts; to build up; to erect; as, to raise a lofty structure, a wall, a heap of stones

.

I will raise forts against thee. Isa. xxxix. 3.

(b)

To bring together; to collect; to levy; to get together or obtain for use or service; as, to raise money, troops, and the like

. "To raise up a rent."

Chaucer.

(c)

To cause to grow; to procure to be produced, bred, or propagated; to grow; as, to raise corn, barley, hops, etc.; toraise cattle.

"He raised sheep." "He raised wheat where none grew before."

Johnson's Dict.

⇒ In some parts of the United States, notably in the Southern States, raise in also commonly applied to the rearing or bringing up of children.

I was raised, as they say in Virginia, among the mountains of the North. Paulding.

(d)

To bring into being; to produce; to cause to arise, come forth, or appear; -- often with up

.

I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee. Deut. xviii. 18.

God vouchsafes to raise another world From him [Noah], and all his anger to forget. Milton.

(e)

To give rise to; to set agoing; to occasion; to start; to originate; as, to raise a smile or a blush

.

Thou shalt not raise a false report. Ex. xxiii. 1.

(f)

To give vent or utterance to; to utter; to strike up

.

Soon as the prince appears, they raise a cry. Dryden.

(g)

To bring to notice; to submit for consideration; as, to raise a point of order; to raise an objection

.

4.

To cause to rise, as by the effect of leaven; to make light and spongy, as bread.

Miss Liddy can dance a jig, and raise paste. Spectator.

5. Naut. (a)

To cause (the land or any other object) to seem higher by drawing nearer to it; as, to raise Sandy Hook light.

(b)

To let go; as in the command, Raise tacks and sheets, i. e., Let go tacks and sheets.

6. Law

To create or constitute; as, to raise a use that is, to create it.

Burrill.

To raise a blockade Mil., to remove or break up a blockade, either by withdrawing the ships or forces employed in enforcing it, or by driving them away or dispersing them. -- To raise a check, note, bill of exchange, etc., to increase fraudulently its nominal value by changing the writing, figures, or printing in which the sum payable is specified.<-- or money order --> -- To raise a siege, to relinquish an attempt to take a place by besieging it, or to cause the attempt to be relinquished. -- To raise steam, to produce steam of a required pressure. -- To raise the wind, to procure ready money by some temporary expedient. [Colloq.] -- To raise Cain, ∨ To raise the devil, to cause a great disturbance; to make great trouble. [Slang]

Syn. -- To lift; exalt; elevate; erect; originate; cause; produce; grow; heighten; aggravate; excite.

 

© Webster 1913.