defending the blinds -

somebody please explain to me how defending the blinds are profitable. i am 18 vpip, so i defend any playable hand and reraise say 12% of them (i am assuming this because my pfr is 12). so here's an example : button open raises (his pfr is 9 and his vpip is 20) sb folds and i have QTs. now i am getting 3.5:1 ; i will hit the flop with a pair 1 out of every three times. so 2 out of 3 i am foldign unimproved. and i dont always win $ when i do hit the flop...so make an argument for defending by just calling the raise....i know im wrong here, i just dont know why mathematically

[URMeowed]

[ QUOTE ]
i will hit the flop with a pair 1 out of every three times.

[/ QUOTE ]

So will your opponent...

Meow.

but he will bet the flop 99% so i need to improve to continue.

[URMeowed]

Since when?

Meow.

u call a flop bet with Q high, getting 5.5:1??

[toke]

Are you folding flushdraws, openended straight draws, gutshots with overs, gutshots with backdoor draws etc? Ever heard of semibluff?

no, i am check raising and leading alot of those hands

[YoureToast]

[ QUOTE ]
somebody please explain to me how defending the blinds are profitable. i am 18 vpip, so i defend any playable hand and reraise say 12% of them (i am assuming this because my pfr is 12). so here's an example : button open raises (his pfr is 9 and his vpip is 20) sb folds and i have QTs. now i am getting 3.5:1 ; i will hit the flop with a pair 1 out of every three times. so 2 out of 3 i am foldign unimproved. and i dont always win $ when i do hit the flop...so make an argument for defending by just calling the raise....i know im wrong here, i just dont know why mathematically

[/ QUOTE ]

I think this is a great question and I think we need to have more discussion about these scenarios, which happen just too frequently to be as ignored as they are on this forum. I think the answer to your question lies in large part on the fact that, as you note in another post, he will bet 99% of the time. Although you only hit 1 out of 3, since he will bet most of the time whether he hits or not, your profits come from your ability to gain additional bets after the flop -- in essence, your implied odds. This is also the reason that you shouldn't bet out every time when you miss a flop after stealing from the button against a good player. These are very tricky situations, but in your scenario where your opponent will bet 99% of the time, whether he hit or missed, folding preflop is a big mistake. Ultimately, your decision to defend your blind depends in large part on whether you think you can outplay your opponent postflop.

[ike]

You should rarely checkfold QT after calling from the big blind. Bet out, checkraise, and checkcall, are all good options on most flops. Read the HU/SH section of HPFAP, especially the part about defending your blind HU. The same principles apply in a full game if its folded to the button.

[pfkaok]

[ QUOTE ]
You should rarely checkfold QT after calling from the big blind.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, QTs isn't even close to a borderline defending hand.

3 betting with this from the BB is also good, esp if button isn't somebody who will always take A-high to showdown.