Playing blinds

This is one aspect of my NLHE game that I'm not too clear on, so In general, what hands should you call or raise from the SB and BB with in different situations in a NL ring game?

-1-2 limpers
-few limpers
-5+ limpers
-Heads up against other blind
-Heads up against raise from button or cutoff (assuming you don't know how frequently this player attempts to steal the blinds)
-Raised pot w/ some limpers yet to act
-Raised pot w/ some callers
-Raised and reraised pot

My rough list is anything I'd play UTG, or if I can get in at a discount I'll add hands that can flop big like Ax suited, Kx suited, suited connectors, maybe Qx suited, etc.

Blind vs blind is another story...

Aren't battles of the blinds more of a tournament thing? I really wouldn't know, or be able to give advice in this topic. I'm not confident in my ring game ability at all.

It amazes me that there's people here that are just getting into multitable tournaments. I've always been a tournament player (sit and goes and multis) since I started playing online, and just went to play in ring games when I wanted a change of pace / wanted to waste some money.

I do all right, and then one bad beat cleans me out. I seem to do better at limit though, as I've found out recently. NL ring games are so up and down for me.

Originally Posted by Fnord

My rough list is anything I'd play UTG

This is the same as me from the big blind. If there are a few people in I'll play some trashier hands (usually suited cards) but only because I'm getting good pot odds (9:1 with 4 limpers).

SB This is where you can get away with playing some trashier hands but don't go to far, I'll fold suited trash hands and offuited semi connected junk cards.

Its very easy to over play your cards from the big blinds, either because its cheap to see a flop or overly defending them. You can reach a point where folding every blind is cheaper.

I'm playing around 33% of my SBs and about 25% from my BB. Which is probably tighter than most peoples normal position flops seen hehe.

Not sure if you're refering to limit or no limit toasty. In limit you need to be much tigher from your blinds as more overall money goes in pre-flop.

yes should have mentioned I was referring to Limit, NL ring I havn't got a clue. NL tourneys its completely situational.

Originally Posted by Fnord

In limit you need to be much tigher from your blinds as more overall money goes in pre-flop.

Are you simply saying that your implied odds are reduced in limit (especially against reasonable competition) in comparison to no-limit?

It seems like a number of drawing hands become playable in a limit multi-pot, especially if you are closing the action as the BB (UTG raiser + cold calls). This philosophy certainly applies in low-limit where it's looser. For example, with 1 raiser and 4 cold callers, you're getting 11:1 or 11.5:1 odds, and the range of hands I would play at those odds is pretty wide. It's +EV to chase when your opponents give you odds, right?

Here is how I play my blinds in NL ring games. Do these guidelines seem solid or are there leaks? I'm especially interested in comments my SB play, since I probably play much looser than I should from there.

In an unraised pot, I will complete from the SB with any ace (though I'll sometimes pitch Ax offsuit), any "20" (i.e. K10), Q9, J9, J8, any decent suited connector or semiconnector, any pocket pair, Kxs, Qxs, and in a pot with 4 or more limpers, offsuit connectors and semiconnectors. Also, with only one limper or heads up against the BB, I will call with just about any two cards, and will rarely raise, even with monster hands. With all the connecting hands and kicker-trouble hands, I am just looking to hit the flop hard (big draw or two-pair or better), and I will play very cautiously and have no qualms about laying down top pair if anyone's showing strength.

I will stand normal (3-5xbb) raises in the SB or BB with AQ or better plus any suited "20" or "21." I will usually call with any pocket pair, though if it looks like it will be heads up I'lll muck the small pairs. If it looks like it is going to be a volume pot, I will call a raise w/ Axs or suited connectors hoping to hit the flop hard. I will only reraise with AA or KK (or possibly QQ, JJ, TT, and AK if I'm heads up and am sure I have the best hand and won't mind getting it all-in or getting the other guy all-in if he comes over the top). If it looks like it's going to be heads up, I will often just call with AA or KK to try to trap.

In unraised pots, I will raise (either 4-6x BB depending on # of limpers) from either blind with AA, KK, QQ, and AK (though I often will just complete or check w/ slick). If there are not many limpers and/or I feel like some action I will also raise with 88-JJ to make the limpers w/ overs pay to outflop me or try to take the pot right there.

Originally Posted by twosevoff

In an unraised pot, I will complete from the SB with any ace (though I'll sometimes pitch Ax offsuit), any "20" (i.e. K10), Q9, J9, J8, any decent suited connector or semiconnector, any pocket pair, Kxs, Qxs, and in a pot with 4 or more limpers, offsuit connectors and semiconnectors. Also, with only one limper or heads up against the BB, I will call with just about any two cards, and will rarely raise, even with monster hands. With all the connecting hands and kicker-trouble hands, I am just looking to hit the flop hard (big draw or two-pair or better), and I will play very cautiously and have no qualms about laying down top pair if anyone's showing strength.

keep good records, and determine if this degree of "looseness" loses you money over the long run. it seems like you're setting yourself up with a bunch of trap hands - e.g. you play A3 and pair the ace, or J9 and pair the jack. are going to be comfortable playing those hands hard with weak kickers? i guess if you're disciplined enough to toss your ace small card hand even when you pair the ace, it might be ok, but i think ultimately, you'll lose money waiting for those two-pairs to hit