Playing the Blinds in Ring Games
written by BeatTheFish.com
 ...Fishy
says, "Almost always call from the small blind. Grow some
gills!"
Especially in no-limit ring games, you
should almost always call the half-bet from the small blind. You
should probably do the same thing in tournaments play. Even in limit
play, it only costs you half a bet so long as no one has raised the
hand. Many professional players and authors will tell you that you
shouldn’t put extra money into the pot that you don’t have to unless
you have some semblance of a hand. I suppose this is often true in
limit hold ‘em, because you don’t really have large implied odds if
you do hit a big hand with your garbage cards from the blind. If you
do manage to hit your monster hand and you check-raise, your
opponents will probably be leery of you being on the play and may
very well fold. If you’re only picking up a few extra bets, it’s not
worth it in the long run to play any two cards from this position.
However, the implied odds are so much greater in no-limit play that it is
almost always worth it to play any two cards from the small blind.
Consider this hand: You have Q-5 offsuit from the small blind. When
it gets to your turn, 4 others callers are choosing to stay in for
the minimum bet. You call for half of a bet at 6 of you see a flop
of Q-5-4. This is a great flop for you! One player from middle
position bets about the size of the pot and everyone folds until
it’s your turn. Now, perhaps he has made a set on the flop, but you
don’t think that he has one. Even if he has a set of 4s, you can
still hit another Q or 5 to make a full house. You decide to raise
him back 3 times his bet. Your opponent raises you all-in and you
quickly call. The turn brings a 7 and the river brings a J. Your
opponents turns over pocket K-K and you’ve just doubled up.
This is a real hand that I’ve played in, and some people really like
to slowplay big pocket pairs for whatever reason. They’ve let you in
for a very small price, and you’ve hit two pair. Flopping two pair
with a couple of rags occurs more often than you think, so you
should probably try to see a flop from the small blind. If you do
choose to see a flop, you must have the discipline to let your hand
go on the flop, even if you caught a piece. If you had that same
Q-5, but the flop came K-Q-J, you’re obviously out. There are just
too many draws and made hands that probably have you beaten right
now. Fold to play another day.
If you play an aggressive game, another consideration may be to
raise when everyone folds to the blinds. If you’re on the small
blind, consider raising 4x the big blind. Your opponent is going to
have position on you throughout the hand, but he’s still going to
need to be holding something to make that call. If he does call and
you don’t get any help on the flop, you’re going to have to check
and fold is he bets. If you get raised preflop and you don’t have a
hand, you tried your best to steal but you’re going to have to call
it quits at this point.
Many players get themselves into trouble by
continuing with a bluff even when they get raised. Why do it? You
were caught bluffing, and unless you have a strong reason to believe
that your opponent is also bluffing with a worse hand, just fold and
fight another battle. You can also try to raise from the big blind
when you’re up against the small blind and he just tries to limp in.
Remember, it almost always makes sense to play the small blind with
any two cards. You could flop a monster, and you’ll often get paid
off well for it. Just be willing to drop your hand when you don’t
flop that monster.
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