Stealing Blinds in the Microstakes: A Discussion

I was getting a sweat session from enty the other day and he asked me if $.30 was my normal raise to steal. I asked him if $.40 would be better and he thought it would. So I thought I would get a consensus from everyone and maybe hit the high points and low points of higher vs. lower steal raises.

I'm going to give a couple of scenarios and I would like your input on all of them. Give me your reasoning behind each; don't just say "I would raise to 4x".


Scenario 1

You're in a 6 max 10NL game and bought in for 100BB's. The table is full and you see 3 short stackers with 30bb, 45bb, and 50bb respectively. Another player has 120bb and the last player has 180bb. You have no reads on anyone at the table.

The first hand you are dealt on the button is folded to you and you hold AcTh. What is your raise, if any?

Scenario 2

You're in a 9 handed 25NL game and bought in for 100BB's. The table is full and everyone is around 100bb's. You have reads on FTA (TAG) and the button (loose with a tendancy to 3bet in position). You are dealt KQs in the hijack. What is your raise, if any?

Scenario 3

You are in a 6 max 10NL game with only 4 players. You have no reads, you just sat down. Everyone limps to the button who min raises to $.20. The small blind calls as does the big blind. You are holding AKo. What is your raise, if any?

In Scenario 1, I would regretablly have to fold this hand (sad, I know). with A 10, a good hand but no reads and you being second to act (I'm guessing thats where you wanted the player to be) I would probably fold anything less than QQ, KK, AA... I know that some people are going to say "limp you idiot, you should never not try and see a flop with A10" or have something to say about my folding, but that is what I would do. As this is the first hand, me being the second to act, even in six players, I would want to see at least one-three hands where I could get a fast read on other players and hopefully figure out the best way to get into their head.

In Scenario 2, however, I would have to say I would probably raise to 4bbs if there were a bunch of limpers, but again this depends on position. KQ suited is one of my favorite hands (as sad as it is for an 18 year old, I love Pinnochle, which I somehow learned before poker). Here the flush draw is nice, two running broadways, and the fact that I juist love this hand too much to fold to anything but an exhorbitant raise puts this as an easy raise to steal some blinds, or go up against Arags on the flop and see who can hit and outplay for the pot.

Scenario 3, I would probably just plain and simple call here. Again this goes back to what I said up in Scenario 1 about me hating to play hands while I just sat down, but with only 3 villians and AK in my hand, I don't think that paying to see the flop on the first hand would be outside my limits.

I was wondering if anyone was gonna read this.

More, please!

1: I would raise a-10 6 handed is a decent hand and I like to show a strong table image early. Obviously if someone plays back at you, lay it down. If you flop an air ball then do a continuation bet and quit on the turn if he is still in the hand.

2: I would just limp I had raising with that hand and with that many limpers your most like going to get some callers and surely one will hold an ace.

3. is a tough call, I hate min raises because they either have nothing or a monster hand and your out of position. You might want to limp and hope to hit a king because ace-rag might beat you if a ace hits. But I'm aggressive so I would raise .70 cents here .

Sorry, Scenario 3 should read like this. I just noticed it. If a mod could fix this for me that would be great.

Scenario 3

You are in a 6 max 10NL game with only 4 players. You have no reads, you just sat down. Everyone limps to the button who min raises to $.20. The small blind calls. You are holding AKo in the BB. What is your raise, if any?

dg1267 said:

I was getting a sweat session from enty the other day and he asked me if $.30 was my normal raise to steal. I asked him if $.40 would be better and he thought it would. So I thought I would get a consensus from everyone and maybe hit the high points and low points of higher vs. lower steal raises.

I'm going to give a couple of scenarios and I would like your input on all of them. Give me your reasoning behind each; don't just say "I would raise to 4x".

First, I'll say that I think standard raise size depends on a total table read. Some tables 3x, some tables 4x. But having said that, I think 4x BB raise works best at micro stakes in that it helps get you down to 1 or 2 players going to the flop. IMO, keeping the field narrowed helps your post flop play.

Scenario 1

You're in a 6 max 10NL game and bought in for 100BB's. The table is full and you see 3 short stackers with 30bb, 45bb, and 50bb respectively. Another player has 120bb and the last player has 180bb. You have no reads on anyone at the table.

The first hand you are dealt on the button is folded to you and you hold AcTh. What is your raise, if any? I'm assuming the SB has 30BB and BB has 45BB. ATo is a good hand short-handed on the button. You'll have post-flop position and your decisions will be easier. With no reads, I think it also has decent stackability PF against shorties. It would be nice to have reads on these guys, but 2 broadway cards are not too shabby.

Scenario 2

You're in a 9 handed 25NL game and bought in for 100BB's. The table is full and everyone is around 100bb's. You have reads on FTA (TAG) and the button (loose with a tendancy to 3bet in position). You are dealt KQs in the hijack. What is your raise, if any? Fold. KQs OOP against a loose player is right at my threshold here. If I don't spike a great flop, the loose button could eat me for lunch since it would be harder to read his hand. (But if the button was solid or tight, I'd have no problem raising here. My confidence in my postflop play would rule then.)

Scenario 3

You are in a 6 max 10NL game with only 4 players. You have no reads, you just sat down. Everyone limps to the button who min raises to $.20. The small blind calls. You are holding AKo in the BB. What is your raise, if any? For the most part, min-raises stink. Without a read, I would still try to punish the button for it. Most of the time, I usually 3-bet 3x the raiser's raise. But since the pot is so small (50c), I'd have to make it more. I think making it $1.00 would work. It would be 80c to the button and the SB would probably lose interest and fold. If you get any calls, you have still narrowed their ranges and can play the flop accordingly.

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^^^

S1: I raise 3x (I do this on the button and in SB) regardless of holding.

S2: I raise to 4x (I do this from any other position and KQs is more than enough for me to open from the HJ)

S3: I make a pot size raise to $1.20 (if my math is correct). I like a slightly bigger PFR when OOP and with AK I don't mind if I get folds (of course I generally don't mind getting it AIPF either).

WVHillbilly said:

S1: I raise 3x (I do this on the button and in SB) regardless of holding.

S2: I raise to 4x (I do this from any other position and KQs is more than enough for me to open from the HJ)

S3: I make a pot size raise to $1.20 (if my math is correct). I like a slightly bigger PFR when OOP and with AK I don't mind if I get folds (of course I generally don't mind getting it AIPF either).

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Just to be sure, are you saying in situation 1 that if you are on the button or in the small blind, you are 3x raising with even 72o?

I know it's not a bad play, but can this be profitable in micros?

dg1267 said:

Just to be sure, are you saying in situation 1 that if you are on the button or in the small blind, you are 3x raising with even 72o?

I know it's not a bad play, but can this be profitable in micros?

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No, I'm not raising 72 against unknowns from either location. What I meant was anything I'm raising with, I'm raising 3x.

I raise.

c9h13no3 said:

I raise.

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