Question about playing the small blind.

[BaronVonCP]

In a game like $2/4 or $1/2, where the small blind is half of the big blind, how much do you adjust your starting hand requirements?

Considering its only half of a small bet to see the flop, is it correct to say that you typically loosen up; or considering your position for the rest of the streets you do not.

I haven't really figured out my game plan for the small blind and I could use some insight.

[Al_Capone_Junior]

Look at your pot odds, the likelyhood of the BB raising, who is in the pot so far, and keep in mind you're going to be out of position the whole hand. Then you decide. When you're getting 11:1, and the BB is a passive calling station, you can call with an awful lot of hands. However, when the BB is aggressive, and there's only two in so far (thus giving you 5:1), you must play much tighter. It's a judgement call that will improve as you gain experience. I can't give you an EXACT guideline, but you'll soon figure it out by considering the relevant factors each time you have to choose.

al

[BaronVonCP]

Thanks, very useful.

[Lunamondo]

After no or one limper one can play up to any two cards if one figures a one pair to be good, otherwise some hand that does ok vs. BB's random cards would be nice. While after many limpers a one pair with garbage is no good but unsuited connectors with or without one gap, some two gappers, and AT, KT. Also all or most suited hands. After two limpers one has to use judgement, but basically one can play the same hands as after more limpers, even though the odds for draws are worse, both the pot and implied odds, one might also sometimes win with just one pair, though one still can't play garbage hands, but those being accidents on the side of straight/flush cards, while one though can consider weather A7, A8, A9, K9, K8, (and T7, 96; Q9 is two gapper and so good enough with this high cards, as is J8) would be good in that situation, weather the one pair made with those hands would be good, as the odds are about there to try to make a top pair with a 9 and a good kicker, or even 8 or 7 with the additional view that the ace might be good often enough. There is a lot of judgement needed here, and one will have to be good garbage player if one is going to play garbage from the blinds, the reason being the bad odds when one pays a second best hand all the way. In theory, if there are at least 5 LOOSE limpers, one can play many garbage hands also, like Q6, just trying to make a decent two pair (top and middle pair).

[trillig]

OK my SB attitude:

How many callers to me?

Any raises?

45s is my absolute minimum hand I like to play on unraised to SB and easily fold after bad flop.
Even with this, if there is only 1 guy who called or raised and BB after me left to act, I'd fold all, but pairs 77-AA and AJ-AA routinely... not enough $ to risk MY $, and if I have any of those, I raise it.
If what I deem are 2 or more skilled players in the pot and comes around to me in SB and I don't have a quality hand, I tend to fold, respecting them for having a better hand then average, and fact that I dont have one, I'll pass.
I fold KJ, QT, QJ, T9, etc. a lot under that circumstance... skilled players are in for a reason, and I am 75%+ likely to already be behind unless I get a lucky flop. If I have a quality hand and raise it? Watch who gives you respect and folds, and watch who doesn't and see what they have and note it for next time, love the guys that play J5s type junkers and such even with a raise preflop, they should feed you well!

Smart players are also watching you, remember...

My humble take anyhow....

-t

[huzitup2]

This topic is covered in detail in HPFAP.

As for my own guidelines -

In an unraised pot I play any pair, any suited cards with the possible exception of absolute trash such as 7/2, etc.,

(these hands can be played for a profit if you really know what your doing but you won't earn much with them when you win and they can get very expensive when you lose)

any connector down to 5/4

any one-gap down to 6/4,

- and that's about it.

*

Ace/wheel hands are usually playable as a longshot staight possibility.

Ace/K-T is obviously playable.

I don't like Ace/6-9.

*

Add in any two cards Ten or above and that about sums it up.

*

*

In 3-6 - where the blind is usually 1/3 of a bet - . . .

If my hand is good enough to play from the button, it's good enough to play from the SB in an unraised pot.

My thinking (and this could be flawed) is that the disadvantage I suffer from being out of position for the rest of the hand is made up for by RARELY having to worry about a pre-flop raise.

I hope that helped.

I'd like to hear from anyone with a strong disagreement to any of this.

I'd hate to think that after all this time I was making significant pre-flop errors, but I'd rather be told I am doing it wrong than NOT find out.

Best wishes,

- H