akmost
Rising Star
Loyaler
B
bbiase
Rock Star
Silver Level
It depends on stack sizes. When you are deep enough (30-35 BB+), I think it's good to defend with hands that connect with the board in a pretty polarized way, like suited connectors, small to mid pocket pairs, Axs (I'm 3-betting some of those to LP with high frequencies of attempting to steal), and hands like KJ+, QJ, and sometimes AK, AQ (pot control, underrep my hand, but more often, like 70%, I'm 3-betting those).
This way, I don't get commited to calling multiple streets with some probable second best hands like top pair average kicker, or second pair. Suited connector? Flop strong draws, two pair or better, I'm playing. Worse? Fold flop. Pocket pairs? Flop overpair, two pair or sets, I'm playing. Worse? Fold. Axs? Flop nut flush draw, two pair or better (obviously not folding top pair on the flop against LP raisor)? I'm playing, worse fold.
This way I think I don't leak chips OOP.
If I drop below 25 BBs, I tend to defend the BB a much more strict range, pretty much 88+, AT+, KJ+, QJ, and most of the time I'm not even defending: I'm 3-betting/jamming all my range against LP raise.
I think this BB strategy gets real close to leak free BB strategy. BB is a losing position in poker in general. You get to play OOP post flop and I don't like getting hooked to pair type of hands post flop. You hardly will be able to realise your equity, since post flop the BB can most of the time value bet just one street unless you're willing to raise.
So you don't get paid with your good hands, what's the point of even playing this position?
This way, I don't get commited to calling multiple streets with some probable second best hands like top pair average kicker, or second pair. Suited connector? Flop strong draws, two pair or better, I'm playing. Worse? Fold flop. Pocket pairs? Flop overpair, two pair or sets, I'm playing. Worse? Fold. Axs? Flop nut flush draw, two pair or better (obviously not folding top pair on the flop against LP raisor)? I'm playing, worse fold.
This way I think I don't leak chips OOP.
If I drop below 25 BBs, I tend to defend the BB a much more strict range, pretty much 88+, AT+, KJ+, QJ, and most of the time I'm not even defending: I'm 3-betting/jamming all my range against LP raise.
I think this BB strategy gets real close to leak free BB strategy. BB is a losing position in poker in general. You get to play OOP post flop and I don't like getting hooked to pair type of hands post flop. You hardly will be able to realise your equity, since post flop the BB can most of the time value bet just one street unless you're willing to raise.
So you don't get paid with your good hands, what's the point of even playing this position?
akmost
Rising Star
Loyaler
Yeap I play the same as you actually but I found in my tracking program that the BB is the spot i bleed chips the most. And that's why I opened that thread.
What about suited or Unsuited gappers like 57 , 8T , J9? You defend that kind of hands or you believe that in the longrun is a -EV play? with 30-35 bbs.
I just believe that BB is the spot that some players can play a very wide range and they can hit the board pretty hard.And can do well against a bad player!
B
bbiase
Rock Star
Silver Level
What about your sample size?
I guess gappers still count as suited connectors, they have very similar playability and fare pretty close in terms of equity against most ranges.
The thing about defending an specific/polarized range the BB is not about EV, it's more about implied odds. You gotta be able to bring stacks in postflop when the flop matches your range for these to be profitable defends.
I think every tracked player will notice that the BB is the bleeding spot. I think overdefending is generally a worse strategy than underdefending. It's more about how bad you want to bleed.
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P
PKRNRS
Visionary
Silver Level
I'm waiting for a big hand in the BB or if I have folded a lot and the villain is aware I may try to still one but it take several orbits to set then up
akmost
Rising Star
Loyaler
So my sample size is pretty small till now , I have 30K hands and from them 6992 is from the ''bleeding spot'' haha. Sometimes when the flop is pretty dry and the bully cbets AGAIN I check raise him and 3/4 times he folds.. Because he knows that the dry board hits my range more often.
But I don't know what to do if I am playing against a pretty good opponent who knows that I know.This is where poker becomes a mental game lol.
akmost
Rising Star
Loyaler
You mean after many folds of yours.? You may shove a marginal hand?This is what you insinuate? Because at some point it's profitable to shove any Kx,Ax against the bully.
Z
ZaXXoR
Enthusiast
Silver Level
unfortunately you won't get an easy answer here. It depends. Mostly on our stack size, their stack size, how often they are stealing, calling 3bets from blinds.
You can 3bet lighter if your opponent tends to give up pre, or post-flop facing a 3bet. Hands like 86-9js, 66+. Now this isn't set in stone, if you are 200blinds deep, you should be playing way more hands and trying to hit nutted hands to stack players.
With 18 bb you probably don't want to defend 86s, but at 50bb you probably should, and at 100/200+ you could call or 3bet. I'm sure you get what i'm saying now. Hope you have fun figuring it out.
Q
QA77
Visionary
Bronze Level
I defend the big blind light to small raises especially in cash games. In tournaments I defend it if its a min raise with around 80 percent of my hands. Stack sizes can change things but I don't like to fold and not see a flop.
akmost
Rising Star
Loyaler
Depends , How many big Blinds you have? If you have 15-20 bbs you can't 3bet because you will be pot-commited. So a shove there will be just fine.
If you have 40+ bbs you can 3bet the bully because you are deep enough. Flatting with the range of hand people already said in this thread is also +ev. Especially if you have a well disquised hand.
Nr98
Visionary
Silver Level
Alright that clears some things up already ^^
But what about the saying if the table is loose, tighten up? Is it different here because we're in the BB?
recerveau
Visionary
Platinum Level
In my opinion, defending big blind without 3-bet and shove is more difficult.
In the situation you present the best thing to do is read the opponent's style and play post-flop with him. If he is very paying, I think he will bring many problems. Against passive players it even works well.
In the situation you present the best thing to do is read the opponent's style and play post-flop with him. If he is very paying, I think he will bring many problems. Against passive players it even works well.
akmost
Rising Star
Loyaler
In my opinion, defending big blind without 3-bet and shove is more difficult.
In the situation you present the best thing to do is read the opponent's style and play post-flop with him. If he is very paying, I think he will bring many problems. Against passive players it even works well.
Yeap totally agree with you , I answered thinking in the way I play. If you have to do with a bully who opens alot and he cbets nearly all he's range is way more tough!A more passive player will muck very often there.You need to understand the cards you block with your two hole cards. I just 3bet-shove with really strong hands.
akmost
Rising Star
Loyaler
I really don't know, It's not a certain way to play on the BB at a loose table. If the table is pretty loose and I have a monster I squeeze, and most of the times I am ahead of their range.
If there is not a preflop raise and I hold any two I just call in order to see a cheap flop. And if there is a raise and some limps I just complete the raise only with hands that flop well something like suited gappers etc.
I don't know if the way I play is the most efficient but at the moment it works just fine for me.If there is a more experienced member and wants to share his strategy I would appreciate it!