What are your requirements to defend against a possible blind steal?

[Hellmouth]

As BB, would you play any two suited cards for a single raise (assuming your call will close the action)? What else will you play if the everyone folds to the button and he raises?

What about in SB? (I would tend to fold most holdings that I wouldnt play anyways since I dont have much invested previously). In SB would you only play holdings that you might cold call or raise even if not in the SB?

Greg

[Aaron W.]

[ QUOTE ]
As BB, would you play any two suited cards for a single raise (assuming your call will close the action)? What else will you play if the everyone folds to the button and he raises?

[/ QUOTE ]

I wouldn't play *ANY* two suited cards, especially if it's raised in early position folded around to me. From BB, I use 7:1 to call with suited cards as long as I'm comfortable playing postflop. When it gets up to 9:1 or 10:1, it becomes an auto-call.

When you're looking to defend your blind, suitedness is not as important. You're not getting the implied odds which make suited hands so nice in multiway pots, so you're going to need strong hands. Pairs and big cards go up, connected and suited cards go down.

Even more important is figuring out how good of a player he is. Usually, I'll give a player credit for a good hand when he's in stealing position for the first time (I'll fold medium-strength hands). But if I find he's a loose raiser, or a consistent "first to enter in MP should raise" player, I'm loosening my calling and my 3-betting requirements. I don't really have solid rules for this because it's really quite rare that I'm at such a tight table (Paradise $1-2). Right now, it's just a "feel" thing.

The first few pages in the "Short-handed" section of HPFAP talks about blind defense. It gives you a theoretical background of what you should be thinking about.

[MrWookie47]

In HPFAP, they recommend playing any pair, AX, KXs, any two cards 9 or higher, any suited connector or one-gap except 42s and 32s, and perhaps J9s, 98, and 97, when you're playing heads up against an aggressive opponent. I think any two sooted is a little loose. You've also got to take into account your opponent. I've seen plenty of people open limp from the button, so if your button is one of these, you'll have to tighten up a fair bit more.

[Hellmouth]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
As BB, would you play any two suited cards for a single raise (assuming your call will close the action)? What else will you play if the everyone folds to the button and he raises?

[/ QUOTE ]

I wouldn't play *ANY* two suited cards, especially if it's raised in early position folded around to me. From BB, I use 7:1 to call with suited cards as long as I'm comfortable playing postflop. When it gets up to 9:1 or 10:1, it becomes an auto-call.

When you're looking to defend your blind, suitedness is not as important. You're not getting the implied odds which make suited hands so nice in multiway pots, so you're going to need strong hands. Pairs and big cards go up, connected and suited cards go down.

Even more important is figuring out how good of a player he is. Usually, I'll give a player credit for a good hand when he's in stealing position for the first time (I'll fold medium-strength hands). But if I find he's a loose raiser, or a consistent "first to enter in MP should raise" player, I'm loosening my calling and my 3-betting requirements. I don't really have solid rules for this because it's really quite rare that I'm at such a tight table (Paradise $1-2). Right now, it's just a "feel" thing.

The first few pages in the "Short-handed" section of HPFAP talks about blind defense. It gives you a theoretical background of what you should be thinking about.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm still on SSHE right now but have HFAP. Ill take a look at that section tonight. I think that I need to be more selective. It feels like most of the time, defending is just money down the drain, and Im trying to get my VPIP lower so I thought that this was one area I could improve.

Greg