Poker Strategy for MTT: Stealing Blinds and Defending
How do you play your blinds.
For Small Blinds, I usually fold it without confrontation if it isn't a hand I would normally play.
Big Blind, how do you defend a raise from a button or near button raiser. Do you reraise them back and call or fold to them (if you have a weak hand).
If you're UTG on the button, how do you put a steal on the blinds, do you raise and if the reraise fold it? How do you study the blinds to know your opponent.
Someone please help me as this is some of the key info I need to improve my tourney play.
For Small Blinds, I usually fold it without confrontation if it isn't a hand I would normally play.
Big Blind, how do you defend a raise from a button or near button raiser. Do you reraise them back and call or fold to them (if you have a weak hand).
If you're UTG on the button, how do you put a steal on the blinds, do you raise and if the reraise fold it? How do you study the blinds to know your opponent.
Someone please help me as this is some of the key info I need to improve my tourney play.
Comments
Is the raiser a solid player, a loose player, etc, etc. Have there been any calls (how many people are in the hand)
If you are holding a weak hand, forget your blind and muck your cards
for ppl making Blind steals, it would have to be no callers before the raise and he/she would be near the button or on it.
If you're describing the fact that everyone has folded to you, I'd say that it was either "folded to you", you're "first in", or you're "opening".
As for defending the blinds, this is very much a "it depends" question.
And as with all questions, we need to know the basics.
What are you playing? A cash game? Tournament? Limit? No-limit? If it's no-limit, the size of the raise matters.
Unfortunately, both when to steal, and when to defend the blinds from what looks like a steal take quite a bit of "feel". Getting a read on the player styles of the relevant opponent(s) *really* helps. For this reason (but from the opposite viewpoint), it also really helps to mix up your own play on both counts.
ScottyZ
I guess I should say first to open instead of UTG.
Also, these are NL Multi Table Tournaments.
Guys raise the blinds (or limpers) hoping to steal maybe, or maybe they have a decent hand....who knows....
BUT, what I see a lot is that they play very agressive pre-flop...miss their flop completely and back right down. If you are still in the game here now is your chance to defend your blind. But after this point be very careful on how you play it.... a lot of bad things can happen.
In tourney books, do they talk about this concept?
I like to raise to about 3 or 4 big blinds in most cases.
Betting as if it was pot limit is normally a good general guideline.
ScottyZ
I nearly never raise the blinds at a full table. Short handed I may raise/steal the blinds but only with very good hand potential. I don't try to steal with a 7-2 off. Even if I think he won't call it's not worth it to me.