Many new online poker players are teased into pots they should not be playing by the investment already made in the small blind. As it looks cheap to play mistakes are often made during small blind play. Unfortunately this is not recommended for your poker strategy. We are going to look at your options in the small blind and fix this potential leak in your poker game. Often when you play Texas Hold ‘em poker online it can be fiery and it is important to fully understand how to play from the small blind.

The Problem with the Small Blind

If you call you are out of position for the rest of the hand, even in heads up play. It makes this position the weakest on the poker table as you are playing first on each street post flop.

Folded Around To You

If it is folded around to you then you can raise, call or fold into the big blind. Folding should be considered for your trash hands as despite only having one opponent to beat you will still be out of position if play moves on to the flop and beyond. On the rare occasions the big blind puts in a raise, you can be certain they have a good poker hand and their range is pretty tight here. Raising will give you good information on whether they defend from the big blind but when you hold a good poker hand someone who gets egotistical over their blinds could give you a lot of chips by refusing to fold. Even if they re-raise you from your hand the information that they are aggressive in the blinds is useful because every time you are in the small blind the same opponent (until they leave or are busted) will face you in the big blind.

Lots of Limpers

When the pot is limped around to you the one positive thing is that you will have pot odds to call on nearly every occasion. This does not mean you must call. In poker tournaments I often fold with pot odds simply because I want to retain chips for a later shove. This is a tactic I often employ in sit and go poker tournaments. In cash game poker it is almost always correct to call with odds, but remember you must hit the flop very hard to continue. On a good textured flop with no obvious straight or flush draws then two pair is about enough to proceed, but do so carefully. It is better to have a poker hand stronger than two pair from the small blind with any two. Raising should be kept to the top hands such as Aces, Kings or Queens with the odd bluff thrown in to take advantage of the fact raises from the small blind look really strong.

A Raised Pot

In a raised pot all none premium poker hands should be folded. If you call you are at a big disadvantage to the raiser throughout the rest of the hand. Resist the urge to flat call with AT, AJ, A9, KT, and other hands of this nature as this is a mistake. Re-raise with premium hands as the range of a late position ranger is looser than high pocket pairs only.

Who is the Big Blind?

Watch the big blind closely as your battles with them are important. If they defend their blinds hard then only raise with premium hands but if you notice they fold to raises or check behind limps then you can use this information to steal pots and see cheap flops. This is good poker strategy.

Once you have mastered small blind play you should read the bwin poker blog which will let you know the current news and offers from bwinpoker.com so you can put your new skills to effect in the big online poker tournaments they host.

By Malcolm Clarke