Keys To Stealing the Blinds
| Bet Type | Objective | Bet Range |
| Stealing the Blinds | Take down uncontested pots and blinds | Three times the big blind |
As you develop your game over time, one skill you need to develop is taking the pot without cards.
What is blind stealing?
You find yourself on the button with J
9so you raise, and
much to your delight everyone around the table folds.
You successfully stole the blinds. Stealing blinds is extraordinarily simple yet highly deceptive.
Before you attempt to steal the blinds take into account the following considerations...
What kind of players are at the table
Before you try stealing the blinds you have to be aware of the types of players at the table. For example;- Fish - The Fish is not the kind of player that you want to try stealing the blinds from with a marginal hand. The Fish will play any range of hands and you'll never know if he hit or not. It is best to wait to take the Fish down with premium hands
- Pro - A good candidate to steal blinds from is the Pro. Take for example the Pro is in the Big Blind and he roughly plays 20% of the hands from the Big Blind. If you raise, chances are the Pro will call your raise 20% of the time, which means the Pro will fold 80% of the time. This is a great tactic to use, however don't overuse it, simply because the Pro will see what you're doing and will start to protect the blind position.
- Rock - The Rock is really the best player when it comes to stealing the blinds or pot from and the reason is obvious. The Rock only plays premium hands and is likely to fold without any resistance. So if you're sitting next to the Rock who is on your left, raise with any two cards.
Your table image
Before you attempt to steal the blinds, what is your table image? The tighter your image the easier it is to steal blinds.
- People will respect your raises because they know you only play good starting hands. No one will suspect you are raising with trash cards.
- If you do not attempt to steal blinds, you are leaving "free money" on the table that could be yours.
You must sense weakness at the table
If everyone limps in and the action is on you, then make your move.
The key is watching other players at the table and getting to know their patterns, habits and tells.
Don't try to steal the blinds if someone bets 3 to 4 times the big blind.
Your position at the table
The key to successfully stealing the blinds or the pot is your position at table.
If you are, "under the gun" and trying to steal the blinds you're going to find it very difficult.
The best place to steal blinds from is late position.
The size of the bet
An attempt to steal the blinds should look like your normal raise.
You're on the button and everyone around you limps in, how much should you raise? Usually a bet three times the big blind should be enough to take down the pot.
Caution though: it doesn't mean getting into a predictable betting pattern where your opponents start to pick it up.
The key to stealing the blinds is to avoid going to the flop, however if you're called make doubly sure it doesn't go to the showdown.
Let's review some key points for a perfect steal:- You are in late position.
- Every player in the hand has limped into the flop.
- The table has checked around to you.
- Your opponents are either the Pro or the Rock.
- There are only a few players in the pot.
However, if faced with the opposite situation, you should rarely steal in the following circumstances:
- You are in early position.
- There has been a raise and a re-raise pre-flop.
- You expect a raise if you bet out.
- Your opponents are loose.
- There are too many players in the pot.
Stealing blinds over a period of time will win you more money than you will lose. If you haven't added this to your arsenal, you need to start your next game.
| Texas Holdem Betting Strategies | ||
| Feeler Bet | Continuation Bet | |
| Check Raise | All In Bet | Bluffing at Texas Hold'em Poker |
Home
Page.