Playing no limit Hold’em poker tournaments or cash games can be a fun but risky proposition. The end result by most everyone who plays however is to win. Whether it is to win more poker chips or more money, there is an overriding goal of more. Players go through great pains to avoid losing. Mixing up their play to keep a table off balance, folding weak hands, and playing only when they have position are just a few examples of how you can avoid losing chips.

 

One of the easiest ways to avoid leaking chips is to fold your small blind. Intuitively this may not make sense. You are already invested in the pot with half a big blind so you have some stake in the outcome before the cards are even dealt. It is tempting to complete the small blind if it folds around and play heads up against the big blind. The disadvantages are that you are always out of position and playing weakly.

 

By completing the small blind and acting first you always telegraph the relative strength of your hand to a competent player. If your goal is to play the blind and try to check every street to the river and win by not betting, you are pretty much burning money. Most everyone knows now how important position is and in a blind versus blind battle the big blind will almost certainly bet the flop or turn if you do not. Completing your blind to fold is a losing play and leak. Just think about how often you have completed only to fold when the big blind makes a raise with position. Completing with junk hands is a leak.

 

If you want to complete the blind without raising one way this is profitable is when there are multiple limpers in the pot and you have a hand that plays well post flop such as a suited connector. The pot odds you have to play the hand are so good you can play a passive hand profitable with a good flop.

 

The optimum play from the small blind if it folds around would be to fold or raise. Folding accomplishes a few objectives. It makes the other players respect your raises more because your image will be one of a tight player, someone who plays strong hands. You will also save precious chips in a tournament by not needlessly wasting them. Similarly, in cash games you save money. For grinders looking to always play +EV, doing what makes you the most money will dictate how and what you play.

 

Raising in a blind versus blind battle is a good play as well because often times the big blind will give you more credit for a hand if you have been folding your blind. Keep in mind however that if you raise every blind a competent player will adjust and start to re raise you forcing you to fold.


PokerStars.com