Stealing from the button

[Pokertron3000]

Heh I was playing rush today, first hand and someone bets 12c so it comes to me in the small blind I four bet him with AQh he thinks then pushes so I called he had KK. Apart from this, which I played horrible I have been having some decent results with the 2.5x steal and restealing. I liked his play though it looked like a steal so when I took the bait he made me pay and I was stupid enough to call.

 

[WVHillbilly]

you would think it would never work but i min raise for profit on the button! (i play at .25/.50)

I know several very good players who always min raise the BTN and they'll do it with basically ATC from 72o to AA. Point is that playing lots of pots in position is very profitable.

Heh I was playing rush today, first hand and someone bets 12c so it comes to me in the small blind I four bet him with AQh he thinks then pushes so I called he had KK. Apart from this, which I played horrible I have been having some decent results with the 2.5x steal and restealing. I liked his play though it looked like a steal so when I took the bait he made me pay and I was stupid enough to call.

Just because someone raises 2.5x doesn't mean it's a steal attempt. Whatever your BTN raise size is you should stick with it regardless of hand strength (varying based on opponent's tendencies and effective stack size can be fine). Also AQs is a great hand to flat a steal attempt with because if you 3bet you opponent likely folds worse and calls/4bets better.

 

[rllngn]

I try to stay away from stealing in that postion. It is so common now that the blinds don't blieve it half the times and stay. I try more from the next postion over and it has be working since the button only calls with good cards. The button sometimes is overrated but it also depends who's at your table. If I noticed the blinds fold then I would start doing it but find the blinds calling and it could be the end of the tourney for you if they flop 2 pair.

 

[Pokertron3000]

I know several very good players who always min raise the BTN and they'll do it with basically ATC from 72o to AA. Point is that playing lots of pots in position is very profitable.



Just because someone raises 2.5x doesn't mean it's a steal attempt. Whatever your BTN raise size is you should stick with it regardless of hand strength (varying based on opponent's tendencies and effective stack size can be fine). Also AQs is a great hand to flat a steal attempt with because if you 3bet you opponent likely folds worse and calls/4bets better.

This is true and I am discovering that I spew in the first few minutes when I join a game which means I spend the next half hour regaining loses.

 

[bgomez89]

With AQo i autofold to a 4bet from any player except a maniac

 

[pokerman27]

So, how can I prove the success of my steals using my PT3 database? Is there a report that I can run that will take into account all my steals whether they were successful preflop, called and won w/o showdown and w/showdown and also failed either preflop, w/o showdown or w/showdown?

 

[lolrobertlol]

Steal steal is nice
.I like steal blinds in LP

 

[lolrobertlol]

yeah,there is a report at pt3.
Hope u can find it.

 

[pokerman27]

yeah,there is a report at pt3.
Hope u can find it.

Great thanks....!

 

[WVHillbilly]

So, how can I prove the success of my steals using my PT3 database? Is there a report that I can run that will take into account all my steals whether they were successful preflop, called and won w/o showdown and w/showdown and also failed either preflop, w/o showdown or w/showdown?

You can just add the Steal Success stat to see how often you're winning without seeing a flop (mine is just under 60%). You can also add a filter for pots where you attempted to steal and then look at your WR in those spots by position. Remember if your db is small you may not have the sample required to make any real determination.

 

[pokerman27]

You can just add the Steal Success stat to see how often you're winning without seeing a flop (mine is just under 60%). You can also add a filter for pots where you attempted to steal and then look at your WR in those spots by position. Remember if your db is small you may not have the sample required to make any real determination.

Thanks WV - I've just filtered by position is less than or equal to 1 (where 0 is the button) and where I raised first in...

 

[ZCorky]

I try to stay away from stealing in that postion. It is so common now that the blinds don't blieve it half the times and stay. I try more from the next postion over and it has be working since the button only calls with good cards. The button sometimes is overrated but it also depends who's at your table. If I noticed the blinds fold then I would start doing it but find the blinds calling and it could be the end of the tourney for you if they flop 2 pair.

In my opinion, the best result is to go to a flop in position - with any two cards. The only time I leave a table is if the blinds will 3bet me light because my profit margin is much lower. If you happen to run into a loose button whilst trying to serially steal from the CO you will run into some horrible post flop spots.

 

[pokerman27]

Thanks WV - I've just filtered by position is less than or equal to 1 (where 0 is the button) and where I raised first in...

Ah, I'm being a dumbass - there's a 'Chance to Steal' filter...:withstupi

 

[swingro]

Has anyone ever tried it in 2nl? if so how well does it work?
I can say i've been stealing in rush poker, for the most part it works.
I don't have any stats for it...

I tryed it but does not worth it cose most of the time ppl will call and you will be in big trouble if you miss . At 2nl steal with good hands that are likely to hold up after the flop if the donk calls.

At higher limits it works fine but i had played 10nl only 2-3 times in my life.

I can say that steal works fine in tournament in middle and late stages. Still u have to play when u have position. Position , stack size, profile of palyers are verry important.

I will not try to steal with junk from a LAG short stack. Try to find the tight players that will fold at a resonable raise.
Anyway stealing is not as easy as it sounds . To steal in the late stages of the tournament or in the bubble play u have to be quite skilled. But there are books and .. u have to experience it in several houdreds of tournaments.

 

[pokerman27]

I tryed it but does not worth it cose most of the time ppl will call and you will be in big trouble if you miss . At 2nl steal with good hands that are likely to hold up after the flop if the donk calls.

At higher limits it works fine but i had played 10nl only 2-3 times in my life.

I can say that steal works fine in tournament in middle and late stages. Still u have to play when u have position. Position , stack size, profile of palyers are verry important.

I will not try to steal with junk from a LAG short stack. Try to find the tight players that will fold at a resonable raise.
Anyway stealing is not as easy as it sounds . To steal in the late stages of the tournament or in the bubble play u have to be quite skilled. But there are books and .. u have to experience it in several houdreds of tournaments.

I disagree - it's worth it at any level. I play $2NL and although I'm only now grasping the 'best' way to do it i.e 2.5bb raise (thanks Stu) the below show's it's worth it...over a small sample admittedly:

 

[Pokertron3000]

Yep I have been successful with this too the amount of times you steal the blinds makes up for when you fail.