Stealing from an uncooperative blind

Say I am raising in position with many SC and low Aces to steal the blinds.

If the blind routinely calls and then c-bets the flop

should I tighten up preflop?

or should I stay as is and 3 bet the flop more?

You mean if he leads into you? That wouldn't be cbetting, but leading or donking. Cbetting means they were the aggressor on the previous street(s).

You shouldn't be stealing a set range, but rather stealing as much as the blinds will let you. It depends on a few factors, mostly how well they fold to steals, but how well they fold to barrels, how much/little they 3bet from the blinds, how much they donk bet, how often they fold their donk bet to a raise, etc are all important.

The big one being fold big blind to steal, I open any two if their combined stats are 140 or so, but may tighten up if they 3bet lots, or don't give up well postflop.

But ya, if they adjust and start fighting back, you have to either tighten up or test their donk bets by raising or floating them.

Thanks chuck

When you say their combined stats are 140 or so .. what does this mean?

I mean their combined 'fold big blind to steal' stat. So if both are %70, that equals 140 between the two of them, and so we steal really wide. I think it's a stretch to say that at 140 we can steal ATC...I'd probably change that value to 150 or so.

Depends on how deep you are imo. I don't know if you're referring to sng,cash, or mtt. But I mean I would say switch those 2 things up. 3bet the flop sometimes and then sometimes just tighten up. I would say a mixture of both depending on the situations and the reads you start gaining after you try the 3betting.

i'm not sure but think you would do better to multiply them together. 70% of 70 is 49%. so its just under break even % but position will make it correct w/ATC IMO. .8 x .7 = 56%(or 150 combined). but about the OP i would think both ways would work. but think tightening up would be the route w/the least variance. but floating the flop then betting the turn or raising the flop may be more profitable. but i'm really not quite sure.

Well ya, obviously the chance you'll steal the blinds with my method wouldn't be %150 lol. Using the sum is just a quick easy guideline to follow in-game.

Are you using only the fold BB, or in combination with the fold SB for this calculation?

I personally tighten up a little and they'll end up betting into a good hand.
If you continue raising with bad hands and they call you; your just losing money.

I somewhat incorrectly use fBBtS for both, NL. The thing is that almost always if someone is a player who folds lots from their BB to steals, they'll do the same from the SB, so it doesn't really matter. I admittedly don't check the fSBtS stat like ever because of this.

Again, the 140 or 150 I was talking about has nothing to do with the math of it; it's not a calculation, it's just a guideline for those who can't get the 'feel' of how often they should be stealing.

On flops that you miss, you should raise him if you read him as weak. Also, it's an invitation to strongly value bet your good preflop hands. Guys like this should lose tons of money to you on situations when you are raising with a good hand preflop, because they're going to call with marginal hands when they're dominated.

I assume the same. I guess it would be nice if there was the option to have the two in one number, but like you I think it probably doesn't make much difference. I'm pretty much as likely to 3 bet a chronic stealler from the SB as from the BB since at the levels that I play, plus the fact that I'm playing FR, BB is not likely to get involved without a monster, or they're an idiot.

As stated you shouldn't see FBBTS stats anywhere near the number Chuck mentions.

As you know, there are some players who are extra nittish and fold anything but premium hands in the blinds, and there are others who don't even seem to look at their cards in the blinds figuring they are invested a little, and willing to invest even more to protect the first investment. AKA defenders. Short of taking them out in the alley and beating some sense into them, you sort of have to accept that you can't steal as much from them.l

LOL