Playing from the blinds
Why the blinds lose money for everyone, how wide the big blind should defend, and why the small blind should mostly raise or fold.
The blinds are the only seats where you pay before you see your cards, and the only seats that act first on every street after the flop. Every player, including the best in the world, loses money from the blinds over time. The goal is to lose as little as possible.
The big blind gets a discount
When someone opens to 2.5 big blinds from the button and the small blind folds, the pot holds 4 big blinds: the raise, your big blind and the small blind's half. You only need to put in 1.5 more to see a flop, for a final pot of 5.5. You need to win just:
1.5 ÷ 5.5 = 27% of the time to break even on the call.
That is a good price, and it means the big blind should defend wide against late-position opens: many hands that would be a fold anywhere else are a call here.
Raise Fold · Pairs / Suited / Offsuit
AA-22, AKs-A2s, KQs-K2s, QJs-Q4s, JTs-J6s, T9s-T6s, 98s-96s, 87s-85s, 76s-74s, 65s-64s, 54s-53s, 43s, AKo-A2o, KQo-K7o, QJo-Q8o, JTo-J8o, T9o-T8o, 98o-97o, 87o, 76o
Against an under-the-gun open, whose range is much stronger, defend far tighter: pairs, suited aces, suited broadways and the best offsuit aces.
Which hands to 3-bet from the big blind
From the top of the range above, 3-bet the hands that want a bigger pot (AA-JJ, AK, AQs) and some suited aces as bluffs. Call with the rest. Because you will be out of position, make your 3-bets bigger: about 4 times the open.
The small blind: raise or fold
The small blind is the worst seat at the table. You get a smaller discount (you have half a blind in, not a whole one), and the big blind is still behind you, with a better price than you, waiting to act.
The simplest strong strategy:
- When everyone folds to you, raise or fold. Do not limp. The small blind opening chart is a good start.
- When someone has opened, 3-bet or fold most of the time. Calling invites the big blind to squeeze, and you will play the whole hand out of position against two players.
Playing the flop out of position
Out of position, you act first with no information. A few habits help:
- Check more. Without position, a check is often the strongest move with medium hands, and it keeps the pot small.
- Check-raise your strongest hands and best draws. It is the out-of-position player's main weapon.
- Do not chase. Calling down with weak pairs is how blind defence turns into big losses. If the flop misses you, it is fine to let it go.
Key points
- Losing a little from the blinds is normal; losing a lot is a leak.
- The big blind defends wide against late opens and tight against early ones.
- The small blind raises or folds; it rarely calls.