Small Blind, You're In Anyways...

One of the questions that crosses my mind everytime I'm looking at my small blind on the felt. Disregarding all the rules about position and playable hands, I can't help but think "Hey, whether I like it or not, I'm already in for X amount, it seems a waste not to throw in the rest". Do you have a rule of thumb on how to play this? Because you're already partially vested would you allow yourself to play worse hands than normal or do you stick to your guns and let the money go if you don't have a playable openers?
_________________
Best Regards and Good Luck!...J.Bagadonuts

I am pretty new at this but one thing to keep in mind is that while it may be a small amount of chips, you are going to be out of position for the whole hand.

well you're blind isn't yours, but you're getting decent pot odds to call it most of the time anyway. This is always a mathematical decision for me.

bagadonuts said:

Do you have a rule of thumb on how to play this? Because you're already partially vested would you allow yourself to play worse hands than normal or do you stick to your guns and let the money go if you don't have a playable openers?

Click to expand...

I don't have a rule of thumb, but I do play hands from the small blind I'd normally not play in another position. This of course has mostly to do with pot odds.

I won't play trash like J7o or 52o unless the pot odds are insanely high (like 11:1 or better).
But hands such as 98o or A3o I'll play for less (maybe 7:1 or better).

As a generak rule, I will play any 2 cards from the small blind in an unraised, or min. raised pot. Exceptions, if the blinds are really large, I'm in a precarious chip condition, and get dealt, 7-2os for example.

I've started playing my small blind a bit tighter of late. Maybe in a few months I'll have some idea of how it's working for me.

It's hard when you say "This 42o isn't worth the extra chips, so I'll fold it" then the board comes and you would've ended up with quads... but how often will that happen? Most of the time, you're just contributing dead money to the pot with a hand like that.

Blinds are like paying a "tax" to play. Everyone pays 'em.

3 Olives said:

This example is exactly why you play what would be considered garbage hands from the blinds if you are getting good odds. You may play 4/2o numerous times for a quarter bet in an unraised pot, or 3/4bet in a raised pot.

Click to expand...

Maybe, but exactly how good do they odds have to be to make playing 42o worthwhile?

Say it is just you in the small blind with 42o, and it's folded to you. Assuming the big blind is going to check you're getting what, 4:1 on your money for completing? You've gotta win the pot one time in four to break even and on its merits, 42o isn't going to give you that. Usually you'll be facing overcards and a bet that there's no way you can call.

Maybe you can bluff often enough to make it profitable, but you've gotta be up against a pretty weak player for that, and then it really doesn't matter what you're holding in your hand.

Way I see it, most of the time it's just dead money and one instance where I would've made quads doesn't change my mind.

(I'm talking about a full table, BTW. Heads up is a different matter)

I always like the theory of, folding the SB twice is the same cost as the BB. So in essence you now have enough to pay 1 BB when you fold 2 SB. However if you are getting decent odds like I did the other day of 4:1 to call the BB because 3 other players were in the pot. Yes it wasn't a great hand to call with 4,6 off suit, but it gave me odds to call. But mainly though I do fold the SB because you are always 1st to act and I like to save my money/chips to pay for another BB later.

People overestimate pot odds preflop all the time. Sure you get 6:1 on your 35o in the SB, so what ?

1) You'll be OOP
2) You'll often flop nothing worthwhile
3) The times you flop something, you'll often be outkicked/counterfeited or produce a 2nd best hand you'll pay dearly for.

The blinds are really sucker positions and looking at the blind you posted (unless it's a late blind) as your money invariably leads to mistakes and major leaks.

I feel once the money is in it is in. I don't think about playing bad cards just because it is cheaper. You can easily lose a lot if you end up with a bad pair, or a good pair with a bad kicker.
I have played K rag from the small blind flopped two pair and lost a lot of chips when I was up against a higher two pair. I hate getting K rag or A rag in the BB. When players limp in I am always hesitant about playing when the flop has a pair.