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Protecting your blinds – The key to winning poker?

January 20, 2010

Protecting your blinds – The key to winning poker? There are many players who lay down their hands to blind stealers or on the other hand don’t steal enough blinds to be competitive. There are a few strategies to employ when making a bid to be more competitive at the the poker table.

  1. Identify the Blind Stealers – These players are generally players that steal blinds to boost their chip stack. The tend to pick on one or two weak players in order to get away with stealing their blinds. Blind stealers  act when they have the positional advantage and when there aren’t too many players contesting the hand.
  2. Play Position with the Reverse Bluff- Remember position when attempting to steal your blinds. If you have a decent hand and there is a late raiser, try to counter with a c-bet tactic. The” reverse bluff” is a vital part in protecting blinds. Use this with great caution and pick your spots very carefully!
  3. Don’t fall in Love with you Blinds – As much as you want to protect your blinds, dont go over the top and loose more than just your blinds. If the action is too hot for the hand you are holding then pull out early.
  4. Raise when in the Small and Big Blind- Don’t allow limper’s to be part of your your hand. So ask the table a question and see who is serious about there hand by putting a small raise.
  5. Represent the Bad Flop- If the flop spills over a number of low and random cards with straight , set or full house draws then represent with a marginal bet. This is vital as most players have come into the pot with strongish hands like AK, Q 10 etc. ie. Flop is 3h3d6c, bet into this hand and lead from the start- 9/10 you will win the hand without hitting a single card.

* use these tips at your own discretion, taking into account the tables players, betting history and so forth

Written by admin · Filed Under Poker School 

Comments

2 Responses to “Protecting your blinds – The key to winning poker?”

  1. Fun play online on January 21st, 2010 5:53 pm

    Thanks a lot, that is good advice indeed. I’ve always found blinds a bit hard to deal with I’ll try your tips from now on.

  2. admin on January 21st, 2010 11:19 pm

    Cool, let me know how it works for you.

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Playing a tight and solid game shows strength and should be the order of the day in most tournaments. This ensures a strong table image and confidence in betting and raising hard in a hand-even when you don't hit the flop. The power of position is very important and comes into play but i will cover that in a another segment. The next best tool in ensuring a  winning hand is the pre-flop play. CALLING PRE-FLOP A flat call in or out of position pre-flop shows weakness even if you have the nuts. Slow playing bullets and limping in with them can get you into trouble so its better to make your intentions clear before you flat call and get faced with a flush draw etc. BET and RAISE PRE-FLOP Playing a well co-ordinated pre-flop bet or raise can ensure strength and a way to disguise any hand but can show dominance at a table. If you are going to play a a hand-regardless of position ( I say this because once you pick up a hand you want to play, then most times position is ignored- but i urge, take position into account regardless of the hand dealt to you) then bet or raise with it. IF ITS GOOD ENOUGH TO PLAY, THEN ITS GOOD ENOUGH TO RAISE/BET WITH. Raising pre-flop shows dominance and shows that you have intentions of winning the pot. The great thing about this is that limpers will be swayed away from the hand and even players who have somewhat good calling hands will be thinking twice before playing. Wether you hit or miss the flop then by all means do a continuation bet and take another jab at the players that limped in. This blows another blow at the players confidence and should give you the edge to take the pot down. if you have missed the flop and get a call or even a raise then best let the hand go and fight wait for another hand to fight with. :As :Kh :Ks :Qh :Jd