Addendum to Blind Play Article

Props to MecosKing over at Bet The Pot for further refining my article.

It might have something to do with the fact that the games i play (10/20, 15/30 and 20/40) offer much more of a 'discount' from the SB than the 3/6 game. (1/3bb at 3/6 vs 1/2bb for 10 and 20, and 2/3 bb (!) in the 15) I am working on tightening up my SB play, and working on 3 betting out of the SB rather than calling (in a button steal situation) so i can get the BB out, thus increasing my chances against the button, and giving myself a bit of equity in the pot (the dead BB money)

I was thinking of including that idea in the article. The real bad SB/BB ratios pretty much kill themselves at the 3/6 game, and like you said, at 15/30, you're paying a SB of 10, so why the hell not. I'd like to actually come up with a well-phrased "rule of thumb" about loose calls from the SB, because at a 10/15 blind structure, you have to play looser from the SB just to overcome your disadvantage in the blind.

I think this is an important aspect of blind defense, although admittedly, its hard to 3 bet with QTo, A6o, and other such assorted mess. However, against a button steal, if you have a marginal hand i think the 3 bet is better than the call, because you dont want to give the BB 5:1 on his call when youve got J9o, and are in the worst position. The three bet also takes the initiative away from the raisor.

I can definitely see where 3-betting (especially a button raise) can be very useful. If a player shows ANY semblance of looseness, you almost can't respect the button raise with any kind of hand.

As for BB defense, i personally prefer the CR rather than the weak lead, only because i really have no respect for weak leads, and i will raise with overcards against one usually, and bet the turn- in other words, i will turn the pressure up, especially against a TAG who i know is capable of folding, because usually if someones gotta hand thats worth a showdown against a raisor, they will CR it. The way i look at it is that even if im on a stone bluff, if i feel my fold equity is over 50%, like on a flop of 684 or 782 or J35 against a button thief, i am going to CR the flop, be it my flush draw, some random pair, or nothing at all, for VALUE against someone who is likely to have overcards and not be able to call me more than 1/2 the time.

I think that's as much perspective as anything. With a rag flop, where I hold overcards in the BB, I would actually 3-bet that situation if someone tried to raise me. It where MY table image comes in quite handy. People using GT+ look at my numbers and see 17/8/3.2 and that 3-bet scares the hell out of them.

Thanks, Mecos for the addition!