S
swingro
Legend
Silver Level
Well. It maybe working at micros even though there are a lot of +EV spots since players are so bad. Actually you can winner from the blinds at 2, 5 NL if you find those spots.
As you go up in limits you will find that every detail counts even minimizing your loses from the blinds. If you fold and fold and fold you will be an easy target to steal from. You have to make the other players life as hard as possible so that they give you a piece sometimes even when you are in the blinds.
As you go up in limits you will find that every detail counts even minimizing your loses from the blinds. If you fold and fold and fold you will be an easy target to steal from. You have to make the other players life as hard as possible so that they give you a piece sometimes even when you are in the blinds.
Aces2w1n
Legend
Silver Level
Headsup against the SB is great... You have an edge with position, so it should be +ev unless we have utter garbage.
Other thing we can do to defend is to steal from the stealer esp against the tighties or people who like to open up way too much in late position.
When we have multi way or middle/early it's really -ev because we will often be dominated and be in such a terrible position... People often bet weak to entice the blinds to follow and put them in sticky situations. Lets avoid bad spots.
Other thing we can do to defend is to steal from the stealer esp against the tighties or people who like to open up way too much in late position.
When we have multi way or middle/early it's really -ev because we will often be dominated and be in such a terrible position... People often bet weak to entice the blinds to follow and put them in sticky situations. Lets avoid bad spots.
P
pallav_pro
Rising Star
Bronze Level
Learn from your mistakes
I think you should defend BB against a late position raise(*3 bb) but not against early except if you have a hand like suited connectors and low pairs are pretty good hands to defend the big blind with any position.
If any tight player raises you then you should think about calling and stealing the pot later according to the flop if you think he has not hit the flop but if any loose player calls you then you should think about stealing the pot preflop, if you have got a decent hand.
I think you should defend BB against a late position raise(*3 bb) but not against early except if you have a hand like suited connectors and low pairs are pretty good hands to defend the big blind with any position.
If any tight player raises you then you should think about calling and stealing the pot later according to the flop if you think he has not hit the flop but if any loose player calls you then you should think about stealing the pot preflop, if you have got a decent hand.
skiptomyloot
Rock Star
Silver Level
if your not willing to fight, why even play at all. defending your blind is a must in certain situations. actually in most situations it can benefit you, especially in tournaments. or re raising bluffs. if i was in a tournament and i knew my opponent didnt defend, i would raise him most of the time just because i knew i could and that it was profitable given that i could get away with it 3/4 times.
Thinker_145
Visionary
Silver Level
This is a cash game forum nothing to do with tournaments.
P
Pavelito51
Enthusiast
Silver Level
I totaly disagree with you swingro,
at micro stakes you should not defend as you have more chances to face a multipotway whereas on high stakes you gonna face 1 opponent 70% of the time, so it is easier to make a move
at micro stakes you should not defend as you have more chances to face a multipotway whereas on high stakes you gonna face 1 opponent 70% of the time, so it is easier to make a move
RodneyC86
Visionary
Silver Level
Wrong, the blind is already in no man's land. You just have the privilege to act last preflop and given the option to call with good pot odds. The danger is postflop cause often you will get lost a lot if you defend with a wide range OOP
except vs SB, defending should be kept to a minimum IMO. There's a reason why a small VPIP /PFR gap is a feature of many winning players.
P
Pavelito51
Enthusiast
Silver Level
Arjonius
Legend
Silver Level
It's not as simple as a number of the replies above might suggest. Various factors can affect how good or bad it is to defend in a particular situation including but not limited to your cards, the opponent(s) in the hand, their styles, your ability to play OOP, stacks, etc.
Last edited:
RodneyC86
Visionary
Silver Level
It's a Leak of course, but blind defense isn't the first thing you should learnWhat stake do you play?
W
Weisssound
Rock Star
Silver Level
Defending blinds is a little tricky on regular tables. Inherently it implies seeing a flop out of position with a less than optimal hand. Most marginal hands like A9suited are much better either 3-bet (preferring a fold, but holding equity), or simply folded out. Flat calling is really not the best play, and that's generally true for most hands.
But like everything else in poker it really comes down to who's raising your blind to begin with and where they are on the table. If a guy is doing 2xBB/3xBB raises every button or cutoff, you can probably re-raise broadways, medium aces, and medium pocket pairs with value in mind. Chances are your villain just isn't much stronger, possibly behind, and will fold to most c-bets post flop if they're loose raising. If you have a tighter player who's only raising their button once ever three or four rings, you may be better off just folding your question mark hands. Even though sometimes a TAG player will still be raising their button fairly light you just won't have much security in the hand. Sometimes you'll be folding the better hand with A9, but 78suited still has decent equity and position, and the TAG player is going to usually be tougher post flop. You don't have to beat everyone at the table - especially not the ones who are tough opponents when they have position!
On lower stakes, watch for the hair trigger shove guys when thinking of defending. The 3 betting rules don't apply because they 4 bet shove. Now, if I raised the pot with 77, as I often do, and someone 3 bet me, I'm really looking to fold or set mine. Those are the options most rational people consider. But there's a certain type of fish that looks at every raise as an attempt to bully them so they shove. I'd flat my playable range for these guys and only 3 bet things I'm willing to call a shove with (JJ+ for these guys). Here, don't bother with donk leads or check raising light to see a cheaper river or any other post flop defending strategies. These guys don't think, they just spew and over play their hands. Hit a two pair hand, a big draw with over cards, anything where you're likely to be ahead in the pot and make your money there.
But like everything else in poker it really comes down to who's raising your blind to begin with and where they are on the table. If a guy is doing 2xBB/3xBB raises every button or cutoff, you can probably re-raise broadways, medium aces, and medium pocket pairs with value in mind. Chances are your villain just isn't much stronger, possibly behind, and will fold to most c-bets post flop if they're loose raising. If you have a tighter player who's only raising their button once ever three or four rings, you may be better off just folding your question mark hands. Even though sometimes a TAG player will still be raising their button fairly light you just won't have much security in the hand. Sometimes you'll be folding the better hand with A9, but 78suited still has decent equity and position, and the TAG player is going to usually be tougher post flop. You don't have to beat everyone at the table - especially not the ones who are tough opponents when they have position!
On lower stakes, watch for the hair trigger shove guys when thinking of defending. The 3 betting rules don't apply because they 4 bet shove. Now, if I raised the pot with 77, as I often do, and someone 3 bet me, I'm really looking to fold or set mine. Those are the options most rational people consider. But there's a certain type of fish that looks at every raise as an attempt to bully them so they shove. I'd flat my playable range for these guys and only 3 bet things I'm willing to call a shove with (JJ+ for these guys). Here, don't bother with donk leads or check raising light to see a cheaper river or any other post flop defending strategies. These guys don't think, they just spew and over play their hands. Hit a two pair hand, a big draw with over cards, anything where you're likely to be ahead in the pot and make your money there.
LD1977
Legend
Silver Level
Lets say it is a regular ring table (not Zoom).
Typical situation:
The guy sits to your right. He steals wide but doesn't fold to 3bets when in position and doesn't fold to cbets either.
How do you defeat him? I say easily, DON'T defend wide and rape him when you are in position instead. This type of player doesn't really fold enough out of position either so I pick spots when I have a good hand and position.
Easy game.
Naturally in 6max blinds come more often etc. but for full ring there is really no need to be a smartass when OOP.
Translation:
I am willing to pay players what, 1bb around 70% of orbits if they are willing to endure having me in position remaining 8 out of every 9 hands.
Typical situation:
The guy sits to your right. He steals wide but doesn't fold to 3bets when in position and doesn't fold to cbets either.
How do you defeat him? I say easily, DON'T defend wide and rape him when you are in position instead. This type of player doesn't really fold enough out of position either so I pick spots when I have a good hand and position.
Easy game.
Naturally in 6max blinds come more often etc. but for full ring there is really no need to be a smartass when OOP.
Translation:
I am willing to pay players what, 1bb around 70% of orbits if they are willing to endure having me in position remaining 8 out of every 9 hands.
