Read part I
In blind-versus-blind battles it’s the small blind who sets the pace of the action. When it’s folded to your small blind you have the choice of folding, limping or raising. Each move has it merits depending on the situation and it’s important to make the most of this advantage, as it’s the only one you’ve got. One thing you will never have is position and, as we all should know position is an incredibly powerful weapon to have at your disposal. By entering into a blind battle from the small blind you’re automatically handing position to your opponent. Let’s look at your options.
Folding
This is an easy way out and if you’ve got a weak to marginal hand it’s often your best option. You’re not going to get yourself in any difficult situations and you’re certainly not going to lose any more chips. You may miss out on some easy small pots but if you’ve got a tough player in the big blind passing is going to be more +EV than tackling them out of position. An obvious exception is in a tournament when either you or your opponent is short-stacked and you stand to gain by shoving all-in (particularly if there are antes in the pot to scoop).
Raising
Strong aggressive poker is winning poker. While we all know this to be true, it doesn’t necessarily mean you should raise every time the action folds to you. This is where knowing your opponent’s tendencies is vital. If you’re facing a wet lettuce who will wilt as soon as you reach for your chips, then by all means bet 90% of your hands. If you’re facing an aggressive player who will play back at you, then raising can just open the flood-gates. This is where it’s best to polarise your range by raising with monsters and the occasional steal. You must also be prepared to occasionally make moves by playing back at them and four-betting light. As well as winning an inflated pot it will stop them running over you.
Limping
While limping seems weak, there are some advantages to it. If you think you are a stronger player than your opponent, why wouldn’t you want to engage them in some postflop combat? Yes, you’re more likely to run into a cooler from time to time, but if they fold to every raise, bar when they’ve got a premium hand or are set-mining, then you’ll have trouble prising their chips away from them. Limping from the small blind can also be useful at the beginning of a tournament, when you’ve got a limited time to build a stack and there’s a higher proportion of weaker players left in the field.
Read Part III