vhuntd
03-07-2005, 01:53 AM
I'd like to start a thread discussing how to play a blind defense with certain holdings. Now poker isn't the best game to have set rules for how to play hands, but it doesn't hurt to have a playbook to handle situations that come up over and over. So I'd like to try and make a playbook for blind defense.
K...suppose that you're in the SB/BB and the cutoff or big blind open raises. What sorts of hands should you be prepared to play here? As a general rule, I'm tempted to say that hands that would be worth a raise from MP or LP deserve a 3-bet. So if you have a KQs or AJo then you should 3-bet (esp. if you're in the small blind and have a chance to knock out the big blind). If the small blind already calls, then i still think that you should 3-bet with these holdings. I think that 3-betting these hands is good against both LAGs and TAGs. So i'd like to say that if you're in the SB/BB then you should 3-bet all players if you have an AK-AT suited or not, KQ suited or not, KK-88. Now if you have AA in the BB and the SB calls the raise then i think that you should 3-bet. If you're in the BB w/ AA and the SB folds, then i think that you get more value from the AA by just calling the raise and taking the flop heads up. This disguises your hand alittle more so that you can extract some value. If you're in the SB then again, just calling with AA seems like a better play.
Now how should other holdings be played. First off, throw away any unsuited connectors, one gappers, two gappers, etc. that aren't paint. I don't think that you should make it a habit to defend with something like 89o or 9To unless you are very familiar with the potential stealer. Also, throw away K9o - K2o, Q9o-Q2o...I would probably want to throw away the ace rag hands too i.e. A7 and lower although this should vary depending on the player. If i was in the big blind against a superLAG, then i'd take a flop with this and i'd even call down unimproved against the right player. If you're in the BB with Ace rag and the small blind calls the raise, then i probably wouldn't want to play the hand.
So what does that leave us with?
(1) 2 broadway cards not mentioned above
(2) medium suited connectors
(3) pairs below 88
K...
(3) If you hold a pair below 88 and the small blind has called the raise, the i'd probably fold. I'm open to hearing people disagree with this because i'm not quite sure. If you're in the small blind then i think that the decision to fold or 3-bet is player dependent - against notable tight players i'd be more inclined to fold but i'd be inclined to 3-bet against a lag to knock the BB out.
(1) If you have two broadway cards that aren't a big ace or KQ, then i think that the decision to call or fold is again player dependent. I'd like to take a flop with KJs or QJs against all players, but i'd probably fold KTo, or QTo against almost every players. If you're in the SB with a QJs then i don't think that there's much point to investing another bet in an attempt to knock the SB out. So, I think that these hands are calling hands IF you're going to play them. I stress the IF in the last sentence. I wouldn't have much problem folding a QJo in the BB (SB folds) against a tight player or a notable 2+2er.
(2) These hands i'd play from the BB if the small blind has called. Whether or not i'd play them from the small blind depends on the nature of the raiseer and of the BB (it's ideal if the BB is a loose passive player and the raiser is not a TAG because i don't want to get 3-bet by the BB here).
K...those are some GENERAL guidlines for blind defense. If anybody disagrees, i'm more than open to here because i'm pretty unsure on some of these plays myself, but these are the thoughts i had.
Okay, now i'd like to discuss some plays for a blind defense in which you're heads up and flop nothing.
Say you're in the SB with KQ of spades and you 3 bet an openraise on the button, the BB folds and the button calls. The flop comes 8 3 2 rainbow. How should you play it here. I think that this is the most important time to think about the nature of your opponent. There are a few obvious ways to play this hand that i'd like to discuss and see peoples' opinions on.
(1) Try to checkraise the flop. Then lead out on the turn if nothing scary comes or if you pair up. If you don't improve on the turn and the opponent calls, then give up on the river unimproved.
(2) Lead out on every street as long as nothing scary comes. Give up if you get raised at any point and you haven't improved. If you turn a pair and the opponent raises, then it's a judgement call on how to play.
(3) Check call the flop, check fold the turn unimproved.
(4) Check fold the flop. Lead the turn if you improve and check-fold the turn if unimproved.
Option one is the way alot of players would play a blind defense that turned into a really strong hand and many people notice this. So lots of times, if a player defends a blind with 99 or 88 here, he'll play that hand given a board like 8 3 2 according to option 1. So you'll probably get most players to fold Ace big if his hand doesn't improve. The benefit to using option one is that it will get alot of people to fold AK or a pair like 55 or 44 (1) is an aggressive way to play your hand given that you missed, but i think that it would be best against most TAGS. If you're opponent is not of the right bent(i.e. is not a TAG) then this play may be a waste of money because he might call you down with as alittle as an ace. Almost no player will fold an overpair here, so this play might not be good against a very tight preflop raiser.
Option two on the other hand is only good against tags. Many lags will call you down with as little as ace high big kicker. Since you don't show the strength that you showed by using option one, you don't have the potential to steal this pot from most lags. I'd only try leading on every street if i was up against a very tight player.
(3) The problem with option 3 is that it gives people the opportunity to bluff you out of the pot. If you 3-bet preflop and then check the turn, many opponents will bet on the turn with anything. So if the player is agressive, then you might be folding the best hand in this spot.
(4) is a problem for the same reason that 3 is a problem.
option 4 is a terrible play in most situations. You should at least see the turn (esp if you 3 bet preflop)
Option 3 is good against most people because they'll be hesitant to bet the flop.
(1) and (2) are good against tight players. (1) gives you the best chance to drag the pot unimproved.
I'd really like what to hear what people have to say about these various options for playing a hand like the one described above. Thanks guys.
K...suppose that you're in the SB/BB and the cutoff or big blind open raises. What sorts of hands should you be prepared to play here? As a general rule, I'm tempted to say that hands that would be worth a raise from MP or LP deserve a 3-bet. So if you have a KQs or AJo then you should 3-bet (esp. if you're in the small blind and have a chance to knock out the big blind). If the small blind already calls, then i still think that you should 3-bet with these holdings. I think that 3-betting these hands is good against both LAGs and TAGs. So i'd like to say that if you're in the SB/BB then you should 3-bet all players if you have an AK-AT suited or not, KQ suited or not, KK-88. Now if you have AA in the BB and the SB calls the raise then i think that you should 3-bet. If you're in the BB w/ AA and the SB folds, then i think that you get more value from the AA by just calling the raise and taking the flop heads up. This disguises your hand alittle more so that you can extract some value. If you're in the SB then again, just calling with AA seems like a better play.
Now how should other holdings be played. First off, throw away any unsuited connectors, one gappers, two gappers, etc. that aren't paint. I don't think that you should make it a habit to defend with something like 89o or 9To unless you are very familiar with the potential stealer. Also, throw away K9o - K2o, Q9o-Q2o...I would probably want to throw away the ace rag hands too i.e. A7 and lower although this should vary depending on the player. If i was in the big blind against a superLAG, then i'd take a flop with this and i'd even call down unimproved against the right player. If you're in the BB with Ace rag and the small blind calls the raise, then i probably wouldn't want to play the hand.
So what does that leave us with?
(1) 2 broadway cards not mentioned above
(2) medium suited connectors
(3) pairs below 88
K...
(3) If you hold a pair below 88 and the small blind has called the raise, the i'd probably fold. I'm open to hearing people disagree with this because i'm not quite sure. If you're in the small blind then i think that the decision to fold or 3-bet is player dependent - against notable tight players i'd be more inclined to fold but i'd be inclined to 3-bet against a lag to knock the BB out.
(1) If you have two broadway cards that aren't a big ace or KQ, then i think that the decision to call or fold is again player dependent. I'd like to take a flop with KJs or QJs against all players, but i'd probably fold KTo, or QTo against almost every players. If you're in the SB with a QJs then i don't think that there's much point to investing another bet in an attempt to knock the SB out. So, I think that these hands are calling hands IF you're going to play them. I stress the IF in the last sentence. I wouldn't have much problem folding a QJo in the BB (SB folds) against a tight player or a notable 2+2er.
(2) These hands i'd play from the BB if the small blind has called. Whether or not i'd play them from the small blind depends on the nature of the raiseer and of the BB (it's ideal if the BB is a loose passive player and the raiser is not a TAG because i don't want to get 3-bet by the BB here).
K...those are some GENERAL guidlines for blind defense. If anybody disagrees, i'm more than open to here because i'm pretty unsure on some of these plays myself, but these are the thoughts i had.
Okay, now i'd like to discuss some plays for a blind defense in which you're heads up and flop nothing.
Say you're in the SB with KQ of spades and you 3 bet an openraise on the button, the BB folds and the button calls. The flop comes 8 3 2 rainbow. How should you play it here. I think that this is the most important time to think about the nature of your opponent. There are a few obvious ways to play this hand that i'd like to discuss and see peoples' opinions on.
(1) Try to checkraise the flop. Then lead out on the turn if nothing scary comes or if you pair up. If you don't improve on the turn and the opponent calls, then give up on the river unimproved.
(2) Lead out on every street as long as nothing scary comes. Give up if you get raised at any point and you haven't improved. If you turn a pair and the opponent raises, then it's a judgement call on how to play.
(3) Check call the flop, check fold the turn unimproved.
(4) Check fold the flop. Lead the turn if you improve and check-fold the turn if unimproved.
Option one is the way alot of players would play a blind defense that turned into a really strong hand and many people notice this. So lots of times, if a player defends a blind with 99 or 88 here, he'll play that hand given a board like 8 3 2 according to option 1. So you'll probably get most players to fold Ace big if his hand doesn't improve. The benefit to using option one is that it will get alot of people to fold AK or a pair like 55 or 44 (1) is an aggressive way to play your hand given that you missed, but i think that it would be best against most TAGS. If you're opponent is not of the right bent(i.e. is not a TAG) then this play may be a waste of money because he might call you down with as alittle as an ace. Almost no player will fold an overpair here, so this play might not be good against a very tight preflop raiser.
Option two on the other hand is only good against tags. Many lags will call you down with as little as ace high big kicker. Since you don't show the strength that you showed by using option one, you don't have the potential to steal this pot from most lags. I'd only try leading on every street if i was up against a very tight player.
(3) The problem with option 3 is that it gives people the opportunity to bluff you out of the pot. If you 3-bet preflop and then check the turn, many opponents will bet on the turn with anything. So if the player is agressive, then you might be folding the best hand in this spot.
(4) is a problem for the same reason that 3 is a problem.
option 4 is a terrible play in most situations. You should at least see the turn (esp if you 3 bet preflop)
Option 3 is good against most people because they'll be hesitant to bet the flop.
(1) and (2) are good against tight players. (1) gives you the best chance to drag the pot unimproved.
I'd really like what to hear what people have to say about these various options for playing a hand like the one described above. Thanks guys.