Texas Holdem: Playing the Blinds

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Beginners and intermediates lose too much money playing their blinds. And we are not talking about the money you have already put in before the hand starts. That money is gone. It's not yours anymore.

Why is more money lost in the blinds? Several reasons. First, the inexperienced player calls a small blind because he can get in for what he perceives to be a cheap bet. Second, if he doesn't hit a hot flop, he tends to stay in the hand too long chasing. Third, even when he hits, his payout is less than if he were in late position. Last, and this is the most important reason, inexperienced players do not realize how much risk they have when they play a blind or any hand in any early position.

Risk is determined by how much information you have and how much you must bet. In the blinds, and obviously the big blind, your risk is low for the first round of betting. You actually have more information preflop and are required to bet either nothing or a small amount to stay in the hand during this betting round. Your preflop risk in the blinds is either nothing or extremely low.

You were OK for the first betting round. You have a little information, but from now on you aren't going to know much about your opponents' cards until it is too late. There are three more betting rounds to go. You will have to bet with the least amount of information during this next round and you have no idea if you are going to be raised or re-raised if you do bet. You are the first to give information to your opponents. Your opponents have the info, you don't. The more information you have the less risk. The less info you have the greater your risk. And your risk is greatest from early position.

Third betting round. It gets worse. Bets are doubled. Twice as much risk as the second round.

Fourth betting round. More big bets with high risk.

How to play the blinds.
Your job is not to gamble. Your job is to win money. Part of winning is keeping your risk low. Your risk playing the blinds is outrageous compared to late position. Part of winning money is not losing it. As important as the risk is even if you do end up winning the hand, the size of the pot will not be nearly as big if you were in late position because you were forced to give away information to the rest of the table.

Until you are an experienced player and know how to play from an early position, be very, very careful playing a blind. Losing your blind is much less expensive than calling all the way to the river. Specifics: Until you have played your 250,000 hands, which will be no less than 50,000 blinds, here's how you should play your blinds:

Preflop.
Other than the big blind for free, until you are experienced, only play small blind cards as if you were on the button. You will find out in a later chapter which hands these include. Unless you have decided to disguise a strong hand, the only time you will raise or re-raise is with AA, KK, or AKs.

Flop.
Fold unless you have:

  • The highest board pair, at least 99 or better.
  • An open-ended straight draw.
  • A four flush.
  • Another miracle flop such as two pair, trips.

OK to be aggressive with three or fewer opponents. Otherwise, limp.

Turn and river.
OK to be aggressive if your opponents have been thinned out to one or two tight players or you believe you have the best hand. Otherwise limp.