Strategy and Range from the BB and SB

Hello everyone, I've realized lately that one of the leaks in my game is in the BB and SB. I wanted to ask what people's general strategy and range was when defending their blinds and playing from the BB and SB. What should I be raising here, what should I be folding? I know that it depends on the other players, whether or not I think somebody's stealing from the BTN or Cutoff, so anything you can give me is appreciated. I feel like I have a pretty good handle on EP MP and LP, but the blinds confuse me some times. Thanks in advance for your help,

T.

If you're HU, it depends on you're opponent. I'll play anything that will make a strght, QX suited and up if I can limp in from the SB. I ALWAYS raise the premiums, especially in the micro levels.

I also play about the same way from the BB if I think someone's trying to steal. The only dif. would be that my range would tighten up a bit.
Something like 89s +, 55+, any 2 cards 10 and higher. My ONLY requirement is that I have to have a decent stack size to call steal/raise and I PREFER to have close to the same size as the raiser.

I LOVE multiple limpers when I'm in the small blind. There are a ton of hands you can play from the SB that only cost you 1/2 bet. Lots of time you're getting 8 9 or 10 to 1 to flop a monster. 95% of the time you'll hit big or you won't hit anything, so it's easy to let go cheaply.

You need to really tighten up from the blinds. Many people play too many hands from the blinds, and actually cost themselves a significant amount of money; in fact, more than if they'd simply folded. Esp. with small through medium pocket pairs, they'll try to set mine, which just doesn't work HU oop.

My advice to you would be to give up on most everything but your best hands in the blinds, and focus on playing pots when you have position.

That is what I was thinking, given that if you get called you will be out of position for the rest of the hand against pretty much everyone. It's what I usually do. I sometimes even lose money when I hit a flop and bet into a player who hit the flop stronger than I did.

Thanks for the advice, T.

Also don't be afraid to 3-bet light against the CO / Button

Don't go crazy, but make raising your default play from the blind.

If the button / CO open then if you play from the blinds, make it a 3-bet. Remember that if the villains are positionally aware then on the button they are playing the widest range. So often they will not be able to respond to a 3-bet.

That said you should not do this every hand. The key thing to remember is that blind strategy is not about making money, its minimising losses. You will always lose money from the blinds but by entering the pots occasionally and aggressively you should be able to reduce that loss.

Sounds like a winning plan Stu! Many thanks. I need some good advice. I've been on a terrible run lately, particularly with AK and KK. I've gotten my money in good every time, and run into the following over the past 3 days. All of these except for that last straight, I made plenty of raises when I was the best hand. I blame myself for the last straight since I was trapping a laggy player by checking the turn with my trips only to see him hit his 4 outer on the river. I know this doesn't belong in this thread, but hey I'm venting.

I value bet with Qs full of 7s only to see him flip his two 7s for quads!
KK loses to Axo who hits his ace on the turn (my pot sized cbet wasn't enough to scare him)
KK loses to A6s who hits a flush (river)
KK loses to QQ who hits trips (river)
KK loses to J4s (???) who hits a flush (river), this was a PF shove btw
KK loses to 9To who hits a straight (river)
KK loses to 89s who hits a straight (river) I blame myself for checking turn

That felt good to get off my chest... thanks for listening, and thanks for the good advice. I'll be sure to make raises my standard play from the blinds, esp. against laggers.