Now that you understand the mechanics to the blinds and how they play into positioning you can better form strategy for playing the blinds.  We’ll examine playing the blinds within the various poker limits, both no limit games as well as limit games since both require their own adjustments.

            A big hurtle players can run into playing the blinds is not folding as much as they should.  Some players believe if they’ve already contributed to the pot they are married to the hand, which can possibly lead to more of your money going into the pot and to someone else.  Instead of focusing on the blind bet you should be paying attention to how many players are still left in the game before the flop, if there’s raising and who’s doing it as well as what hole cards you have.  However, there is a difference to playing pre-flop from the different blind positions.

Any raising done pre-flop from the small blind position needs careful consideration if your card aren’t clearly strong.  Keep in mind in limit games unless the limit is extremely high a full bet isn’t going to scare off everyone.  It might actually get more aggressive players more interested in the game.  In addition you’re fattening the pot and possibly making the pot odds worth it to other players.  And as with any time you are in an early position, a raise on the pre-flop will tip off to others that you most likely have a good hand.  This could hurt your efforts in slow playing to get more out of the pot since everyone will be paying particular attention to you as the first bettor after the flop.  If you don’t catch the right cards then it’s been a total waste. 

So when the betting does get to the small blind they could raise, or chose to put in the second half of their bet and call or they can fold.  Again to make a rational decision that’s not based on how you feel about the money, as the small blind it’s best to ignore your blind bet altogether.  If everyone is limping into the game and you have a decent hand it’s not a bad decision to go ahead and put in the second half of your full bet to see the flop.  However, if your hand isn’t good go ahead and fold a save a little of your stack since your cards still won’t likely hold up.  This is especially true if someone has raised and it will cost you more than a half bet.

As you may have already deciphered calling from the small blind position is safer than raising.  It will give the other players less to go on when you bet early the next round.  From an early position you can only afford to call raises with good cards after the flop.  If a player in a late position is trying to bluff then your call could hinder their efforts and keep them on their toes in later betting rounds.  You’ll also just have overall better odds of winning.              

Much of the same first round betting for the small blind applies when you’re in the big blind position.  Calling as apposed to raising will help keep the strength of your hand ambiguous which is good for being in an early position.  However, there’s one key distinct between the small and big blind in the first betting round. 

Unlike the small blind the big blind has already put in a full bet.  That means you should never fold before the flop if everyone else has just called.  You’ve already met that call with your blind bet so it will cost you nothing to see the flop that could improve your hand.  It’s not until an opponent raises that the big blind has to decide if a hand is worth investing more or just letting the blind bet go.

Again to determine which decision is best to make use the strength in the cards you hold as well as what type of player it was that raised as your guide.  A conservative player in an early position who raises is one that likely has a very good hand that you probably don’t want to waste chips challenging.  Conversely, if the raising is being done by an aggressive loose player or one in a late position there’s a possibility that their cards aren’t as strong as they let on.  If you have a good hand it’s not a bad decision to at least see the flop.      

The decision that needs to be given the most care is when there are a number of players staying in the game and the pot is getting to be a good size.  Don’t simply chase it because everyone else is.  You must first weigh your odds of what you can get from the pot as opposed to chanced of actually getting it.  Unless you have a strong hand you might easily get beat by more than one hand.

            No Limit games don’t vary much in ways of strategy for playing the blinds from Limit games.  But there is one distinctive difference that has to be taken into account.  The all-in or high bet that comes with no limit games.  This gives players in the blind position a tool like any other player for stealing the pot.  If no one has raised by the time the first round betting comes to you a high or all-in bet can be used to pressure others to fold. 

Again though you have to pay attention to the type of poker players that are at your table.  If there are loose, aggressive players using the all-in bet could backfire horribly since they might just take you up on the offer.  So take advantage of being the last to act in the first round and try to end the game there if possible.     

For more information on betting visit our Poker Betting Terms page        

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