Push or Raise Blinds when Steeling

[golfcchs]

When you are steeling blinds in a SNG do you push or raise blinds? Is it different depending on your stack size? What about heads up? Input would be greatly appreciated.

[lastchance]

It all depends on your stack size. Under 12x BB, I'm generally pushing.

[golfcchs]

How far off the button do you do it? And how much do you raise blinds if over 12BB's.

[lastchance]

All depends on the situation. Stack size, hand, number of active players left, and actions of the previous players, plus if I've been pushing too much, people notice (of course, they don't notice when I'm tight as a rock).

If over 12 BB's, I raise 2.5-3.5 BB. So yeah, about 3.

[golfcchs]

Do you try to steel from big stacks if over the 12BB

[lastchance]

Considering my opponents suck, yeah. Against good opponents, it's a hard spot, since they will push any 2, which sucks for you.

Most of the time though, they do something stupid like call out of the blinds, check to me, and I move in.

[Rex Ruthless]

With 10x BB or more I raise in the same range 3 - 4x BB. If the blinds push, I'll call with a good hand (pairs, big cards) and if I have him way covered. If I have a trash hand and try to steal, I get off cheap to a push. If I have a good hand and bet the same amount, I win a big pot when I call the blinds resteal and win.

Less than 10x BB, it's all-in or fold.

[JC_Saves]

It definitely depends on your stack size and those of your opponents. If I have more than 10BB then I will usually try my steal with standards raises of 3BBs. If my opponents have significantly more chips than I do I will usually push with a hand that is not to bad to play with to begin with.

Heads up I would still consider stack sizes as the number one factor in determining if AI or 3BB raises. If I am going to push all in I try and have a hand that if called could still end up a winner. So I would not push all in with 72.

This article is in this month's magazine about SB play with short stack, which can be comparable to HUs play

http://www.twoplustwo.com/magazine/current/Bragg0506.html

[Sabrazack]

Not to be a grammar nazi or anything, but its "Stealing" not "Steeling". Unless you are talking about running a 4 foot steel sword through them, that might be called steeling.

[chisness]

Are good opponents really pushing any 2 here? I can see this when there's a major shortstack and they know the big stack wouldn't feel comfortable getting all in, but there are 2 problems with moving in over a raise with any 2:

1) Many of the raising players suck and will call with a hand they shouldn't be calling with (e.g. A7o, 66, etc.)
2) Many of the raising players are smart and will raise these amounts with AA, KK, QQ