Big hand in the SB, nobody else in

[Reducto]

I'm struggling with my SB play. One situation in particular I'm puzzled by is what to do when I'm in the SB, everyone folds to me, and I have a premium but not made hand like AK or something strong against a random hand like KT. I mostly play micro stakes NL ring and the occasional tournament.

The BB will often assume you're stealing and play aggressively and I have trouble distinguishing this from real strength. I usually wind up picking up the BB only or losing a lot more.

Any general tips?

 

[riverboatrat]

depends on the person to your left.

Normally a min raise from the sb might get a get call from a loosish playing.

I often like to limp in behind an aggressive player who will raise in order to protect his BB. When they do that I pop em.

Otherwise if the person is a average player, a bit neutral I will make a normal 3 X BB raise

 

[mfturq]

depends on the person to your left.

Normally a min raise from the sb might get a get call from a loosish playing.

I often like to limp in behind an aggressive player who will raise in order to protect his BB. When they do that I pop em.

Otherwise if the person is a average player, a bit neutral I will make a normal 3 X BB raise

This definately... aslo when I play live I usually make it a point to look at my cards when the action is to me.

However in the SB I sometimes do something different. If I know that the BB is someone who checks their cards early, I will try a get a quick glance at mine while they are looking... with my hopes being he won't notice. When action gets to me (if I have the type of hand you describe) I put out standard 3x. My hope being that they attempt to repop to defend thinking I am raising blind in position to pick up the BB. My action beyond that point becomes read and situation dependent.

The reality of all this is that I play small limit donkaments and cash games...therefore somewhat sure that none of all this makes much difference because 90% of the players are just recreational and not really interested in the chances their cards in their hands have let alone 2nd level thinking. I however am somewhat amused....so I continue to do it at times