| No contribution you've already made to the pot should | | | | slightly improved. |
| keep you in the pot. This is common advice, yet in one | | | | This must however be countered with the poor |
| situation many people seem not to be able to follow it. | | | | positions of the player. Once the flop comes they are |
| In the small blind many people tend to call even though | | | | now forced to act first. Unless they hit their unlikely flop |
| it isn't worthwhile. | | | | their options are quite limited. So for the most part calls |
| Pot Odds | | | | in the small blind are quite often to be followed with an |
| The small blind is not a magical position which | | | | initial bet, or a fold. |
| overwhelmingly forces a player into the game. Rather | | | | Mikey holds 5♠ 6♠ in the SB. He's got |
| it alters the pot odds for the player so they will be | | | | a book which indicates this is a folding hand unless 4 |
| compelled to play a slightly larger range of hands. A | | | | players call before him. It mentions nothing of the small |
| player holding Q♦ 9♣ might normally not | | | | blind, so he assumes that 2 callers will be enough. |
| play, but in the small blind with 3 callers they may | | | | There are two limpers, so he limps in as well. The flop |
| decide otherwise. | | | | comes A♦ K♥ 7♠. Given the 3 |
| Pot odds calculations pre-flop however are entirely | | | | other limpers he assumes an aggressive bluff won't |
| distinct from pot-odds after the flop. It isn't 100% clear | | | | work, so he checks. The button raises and Mikey folds |
| exactly what the winning chance of a pocket is before | | | | his hand. |
| the flop. Therefore knowing the pot odds isn't | | | | A Big Blind Raise |
| necessarily the key to your decision. | | | | Another critical factor leaning against the small blind is |
| So assume a table of pre-flop odds is available. And | | | | the action to be taken by the big blind. If the big blind |
| there are in fact numerous tables showing different | | | | has a marginal hand they may simply check and hope |
| odds. Simply calculate the pot odds and compare. | | | | for the best. This is exactly what a small blind caller |
| A given pocket has 7:1 odds. In order to get equal or | | | | would hope for. |
| better odds for a call in the small blind 3 or more | | | | Should the big blind have a playable hand, they will not |
| callers would be required, including the big blind. This | | | | likely enjoy having many callers around. And since |
| gives 3.5BB:0.5BB, or 7:1 odds. | | | | many small blind calls will require many other callers, |
| Chart Based | | | | this situation is quite common. To reduce the |
| Given the disagreements about what exactly the | | | | competition the big blind may raise. |
| winning chance of a hand is pre-flop, it isn't easy to rely | | | | The raise must be large as well, otherwise it won't |
| on pot odds to make a choice in the small blind. Most | | | | work. For example, if there are 5 callers, the pot is |
| players tend to refer to a table, written or instinct | | | | now 5xBB big. A raise of 2xBB still offers 7:2 odds for |
| based, as to when they should play. | | | | the first caller. And should they call, that goes up to 9:2 |
| If the table being consulted is one of the mammoths | | | | for the next caller. The small blind then gets 13:2 pot |
| with every position and holding available then it has | | | | odds, which isn't much worse than the 9:1 they had |
| probably already made the decision for you. If it is just | | | | when they first called. |
| a general guide as to what are good and bad hands, | | | | Jim is holding a marginal hand in the small blind. His table |
| some thought is required. | | | | says he needs 4 callers in order for him to also call. |
| In a class based table one might be willing to call a | | | | However Raoul in the big blind is crazy and usually |
| lower class hand than normal in the big blind. Such calls | | | | raises in that position. Jim gets his 4 callers but mucks |
| are implicitly based on pot odds: stepping one class | | | | his hand anyways. Sure enough, Raoul raises to 6xBB. |
| down is the acknowledgment that the odds have | | | | |