I'm lost, what do you do when................

[Hotchile]

..........You are the only one who will fold a blind? I am getting killed by blind defenders and cannot make it back by defending my own blinds. I don't like defending a blind with any two cards but my opponents don't seem to mind calling with J10, Q8, J9 or other assorted hands. Is there a strategy change required here??

Larry

[JTG51]

If your opponents will call from the blinds with any hand, you should try to steal their blinds a lot less often. A large part of the value of raising the blinds from LP is the possibility that they will fold.

Also, you probably should be calling with hands like JT (and often 3 betting) when someone in LP open raises, looking like an obvious blind steal.

[Hotchile]

What kind of flop do you look for to keep pushing the hand through? Undercards? An Ace? A King?. I am finding that if they hit any piece that I can expect calls throughout the hand. At what point do I let go of this play?

Larry

[JTG51]

"What kind of flop do you look for to keep pushing the hand through?"

Do you mean when you 3 bet from the blinds against a possible steal raise? If that's what you are asking, I'd bet any flop after 3 betting before the flop in this situation. If you get any resistance, then you have to play some poker. You'll have to use your judgement.

[Ed Miller]

Of course you can expect calls headsup if they hit the flop. Fortunately, you can also expect them to miss the flop entirely 2 out of 3 times.

If you are folding the hands you listed to a raise in the BB.. especially to a steal raise... then you are folding way way too much. For more discussion, see my posts in this thread (http://www.twoplustwo.com/forums/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=holdem&Number=181755&p age=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=14&fpart=1).

[Hotchile]

Thank you for the link Majorkong. I just realized that it is in fact often the same players constantly stealing my blinds and I have only ever come back at them with big hands. I have always viewed the blinds as a "cost of doing business". Now I realize that they are part of the business.

Thanks again

Larry

[JTG51]

You'll be surprised how much less people will pick on your blinds if you just play back at them once in a while. If 3 betting with a hand like JTs seems too risky, just imagine all the blinds it will save you when people see they can't just steal your blinds any time they want.