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Playing the Blinds in Ring Games

Especially in no-limit ring games, you should almost always call the half-bet from the small blind. You should probably do the same thing in tournaments play. Even in limit play, it only costs you half a bet so long as no one has raised the hand. Many professional players and authors will tell you that you shouldn’t put extra money into the pot that you don’t have to unless you have some semblance of a hand. I suppose this is often true in limit hold ‘em, because you don’t really have large implied odds if you do hit a big hand with your garbage cards from the blind. If you do manage to hit your monster hand and you check-raise, your opponents will probably be leery of you being on the play and may very well fold. If you’re only picking up a few extra bets, it’s not worth it in the long run to play any two cards from this position.However, the implied odds are so much greater in no-limit play that it is almost always worth it to play any two cards from the small blind. Consider this hand: You have Q-5 offsuit from the small blind. When it gets to your turn, 4 others callers are choosing to stay in for the minimum bet. You call for half of a bet at 6 of you see a flop of Q-5-4. This is a great flop for you! One player from middle position bets about the size of the pot and everyone folds until it’s your turn. Now, perhaps he has made a set on the flop, but you don’t think that he has one. Even if he has a set of 4s, you can still hit another Q or 5 to make a full house. You decide to raise him back 3 times his bet. Your opponent raises you all-in and you quickly call. The turn brings a 7 and the river brings a J. Your opponents turns over pocket K-K and you’ve just doubled up.This is a real hand that I’ve played in, and some people really like to slowplay big pocket pairs for whatever reason. They’ve let you in for a very small price, and you’ve hit two pair. Flopping two pair with a couple of rags occurs more often than you think, so you should probably try to see a flop from the small blind. If you do choose to see a flop, you must have the discipline to let your hand go on the flop, even if you caught a piece. If you had that same Q-5, but the flop came K-Q-J, you’re obviously out. There are just too many draws and made hands that probably have you beaten right now. Fold to play another day.If you play an aggressive game, another consideration may be to raise when everyone folds to the blinds. If you’re on the small blind, consider raising 4x the big blind. Your opponent is going to have position on you throughout the hand, but he’s still going to need to be holding something to make that call. If he does call and you don’t get any help on the flop, you’re going to have to check and fold is he bets. If you get raised preflop and you don’t have a hand, you tried your best to steal but you’re going to have to call it quits at this point.

Many players get themselves into trouble by continuing with a bluff even when they get raised. Why do it? You were caught bluffing, and unless you have a strong reason to believe that your opponent is also bluffing with a worse hand, just fold and fight another battle. You can also try to raise from the big blind when you’re up against the small blind and he just tries to limp in.
Remember, it almost always makes sense to play the small blind with any two cards. You could flop a monster, and you’ll often get paid off well for it. Just be willing to drop your hand when you don’t flop that monster.