Anyone who likes to play poker online or offline, knows that your position at the table has a major influence on your betting strategies. That becomes even clearer when you have to deal with blind stealing at the best poker sites.
A blind steal is when a poker player raises pre-flop, trying to intimidate all the others into folding. If that happens, they can collect the money left by those in the big and small blind positions.
But when can you use this betting strategy? And what about defending your position when you find yourself at the receiving end of this tactic? It's time to learn all about stealing blinds.
Blind Stealing – What to Do?
If you play online poker and you find yourself in late position, you have a chance of manipulating those in the blind positions. To try and steal the blinds, you should raise about three times the big blind. In some cases, if another player already raised, you might need to raise four or five times the big blind.
This kind of bold move is bound to rattle your competition, and it might even get you an easy win at the pre-flop stage. But even if not all players fold, you've already created the illusion you have a great hand. So, remember that you can make it work in your favor!
If the big blind decides to call after your raise, it doesn't necessarily mean he has a great hand. You should test the waters a bit and keep playing aggressively to create the impression you weren't bluffing before.
However, you should remember that stealing the blinds doesn't always work, and you can't get too cocky. If you have a weak hand, someone might call your bluff and win. Also, you shouldn't use this strategy too often, as the other might catch on and stop reacting.
How to Defend Your Blind Position
From time to time, you might find yourself in the blind position, and someone else will try to pull the same tricks on you. If someone raises straight off the bat, you need to tread carefully before deciding on a game plan.
First of all, try to notice your opponent's betting patterns. If the person is raising too often, they might have a weaker hand than they're trying to portray. So, in this case, you should try re-raising them – if you have a strong hand. That way, you will put them under real pressure and show your competition that you are here to stay.
However, if the players who try to steal the blinds hesitate when placing bets in the post-flop, you probably should call. Those players will only keep raising if they have a strong hand, so let the game unfold before deciding whether they're bluffing or not.
But remember - sometimes, your opponents might have a stronger hand. If you have weak cards, and your competitors seem rather confident, you should consider folding.
In Conclusion
Attempts to steal blinds is an often occurrence in the online poker world. Your job is to know how to utilize this tool to get a win. You should also know to defend your position whenever necessary, so learn as much as you can about this poker strategy!