Playing the blinds for a profit

[proell]

I've been focusing on this concept for a few days now (ever since Irie's "Unarmed" post). It's a small trail of breadcrumbs and I'm hoping to get some more specific discussion on the topic.

As a starting point I am going to use Yugo's response from this thread :

[ QUOTE ]
Blind play is possibly the most important part of STT play. It is possible to play from the SB/BB for a profit in this (STT) format of poker (which is not really possible in any other) and if one can do that, it's pretty much impossible to be a losing player.

Once the blinds become significant, you have to forfeit a significant portion of your stack every time you involuntarily post them. Being able to defend them optimally is very hard but of the utmost importance and, of course, is very contextual. Thankfully, there is a big bag of tricks one can use to help in this task. Unfortunately they involve reading the table well and being able to play 'real' poker, . In the higher buyin levels great blind play is pretty much imperative to be a significantly winning player.

Yugoslav

[/ QUOTE ]


Are we saying that both blinds can individually be played for profit, or as a whole (because of steals from SB)? And this is because???

As for the "bag of tricks", are these what we're talking about, and what's missing from mine (aside from context and proper timing)?

1) Re-stealing a button/late-pos raise
2) Stop'n'Go
3) PVS
4) Stealing vs SB limper (pre & postflop)

That's pretty much my bag from the BB (aside from maybe calling pushes which I'm doing either too little of or too much of).

I'll start posting some hands from the blinds to get feedback, but wanted to just get a general thread on the topic to make sure I'm on the right track.

[microbet]

[ QUOTE ]

2) Stop'n'Go


[/ QUOTE ]

You can also call a min-raise or something and then bet the flop. You can do this OOP for less than your stack if stacks are deep enough that you can fold to a reraise. This is sortof a partial Stop-n-go. Or if you are in position you can bet if you are checked to or raise if you are pretty sure it is just a c-bet.

In his more interesting HH post Jman defended his BB with Q5 by calling a minraise from SB and then betting the flop when it was checked to him. Seemed like a pretty good play to me.

[ewing55]

I trying to learn the same thing (blind play) for the same reason (irieguy's post re: unarmed) and I suck at blind play, but the thing I'm working on now is....

All fold to SB who completes, Hero min-raises. If SB calls, they usually will miss the flop and check to me, and then I always raise ~3/4 pot. They usually fold, if not, I usually in deep trouble. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

I do find that once I have done that, but SB (and CO & Button) are much less likely to try and steal later. If they do I assume they have a real hand, so it's usually time to fold.

I hope this topic gains some momentum. I just moved up to the 33s and I'm getting slaughtered and it is obvious ABC pushbot play doesn't work any more. I gotta learn to play poker!

--------------Jeff

[downtown]

For my short and to the point post, I would like to point out that calling small raises in early levels based on my odds and thinking about whether or not I'm closing the action has helped my blinds play. Small facts that maybe you're taking for granted, but still, helpful to think about every time.

[A_PLUS]

Finally, something I do right!!!

I think this is about the only thing I do right right now in SNGs. Nothing I like better than being heads up in an unraised pot when we are deep enough to do something other than push.

It realy is more art than science. I very rarely raise from the SB in an MTT (only under 10xBB). So I have played these situations out thousands of times. Basically you get a feel for strength of a hand. I dont use specific hand ranges, just wether or not they think their hand is good.

From there I do a lot of things. (This is the only time I actually think in terms of betting impetus)

OK, this post was not very helpful.

If anyone cares to PM me a reminder, I will try to post some hands.

[benfranklin]

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[bennies]

]web page

[bennies]

benny

hallo

[bennies]

Ha! Im such a fast learner....