| This poker article is about the tricky question of | | | | Sometimes you can call with other hands, but it |
| starting hand strategy. In poker your starting position is | | | | depends on the raise and the type of player he is. |
| determined by where the button is and this can make | | | | Calling a 4x raise sometimes with small pocket pairs |
| a huge difference to the way the game starts and | | | | like an 8-8, 7-7, 6-6, 5-5, 4-4, 3-3, 2-2, can be very |
| develops. To stack the odds as best as humanly | | | | profitable, so if you call to see a flop with one of these |
| possible, to coin the phrase "make your own luck" you | | | | if you don't hit a set get out of the pot. If you do hit a |
| need to know how to approach hand play from the | | | | set be careful of a bigger set. That's why I |
| different starting positions. In this article I am going to | | | | recommend folding those from the small blind if the pot |
| cover the Small Blinds. | | | | has already been raised pre-flop. |
| The Small Blind -- The small blind puts up half a BB (Big | | | | Now in a pot that has not been raised you want to |
| Bet) and the big blind puts up a whole BB. So for an | | | | only raise with premium hands because you are first |
| example if were playing a 200nl then the small blind | | | | to act. Those hands include A-A, K-K, Q-Q, J-J, 10-10, |
| would be 1 dollar and the big blind would be 2 dollars. | | | | 9-9, A-Ks, A-Ko and A-Qs. You want to raise 4x the |
| Most of the time in the blinds you get dealt awful | | | | bb +1x for each limper. Some choose 5x +1x some |
| hands. Trash hands have little to no value unless you | | | | choose 3x +1x. Do whatever you're comfortable with. I |
| flop a miracle, with that said I'm going to talk about the | | | | recommend 4bb +1bb for each limper. |
| small blind first. | | | | Now lets say you got a 6-7o in the small blind and 2 |
| So you're in the small blind and a guy from early | | | | others limped in so you already have half the bb in |
| position raised it to 8 dollars (4x BB) you look down at | | | | their. I would complete the blind and see a flop. These |
| a K-Js (s=suited). Now even though K-Js looks like a | | | | are the hands I would do this with and why. First I will |
| great hand you have to A) remember your first to act | | | | cover the off suit connectors. 5-6o up to K-Qo I would |
| if you call his raise B) Think about what he has, so you | | | | call with these hoping to hit two pair or better. One |
| have to put him on a range. Now being he's in early | | | | exception with K-Qo, top pair is pretty good because I |
| position raising he probably has a good hand. To learn | | | | have a solid kicker. The only other off suit hands that I |
| more about ranges read (Its all about range). So your | | | | would complete the small blind with here is A-Qo, A-Jo, |
| K-Js looks pretty but he most likely has a better hand | | | | K-Jo. The K-J if I don't hit two pair or better it's gone |
| than K-Js. | | | | right away. |
| This should be an instant fold, because if you call and | | | | Remember this is an unraised pot. Now about suited |
| the flop comes K-10-5 your in trouble against an A-A, | | | | cards, any A-Xs is good. K-10s and up is ok. 5-6s up |
| K-K, A-K, or even a 10-10. He is more likely to have the | | | | to K-Qs I would call, Q-10s is ok as well. You can also |
| first 3 than the 10-10. | | | | play suited gapers like 5-7s up if you would like but I |
| Why you ask? | | | | recommend you don't, but if you do, you want to flop |
| Well he knows if he raises from early position then | | | | straights or boats with these. |
| he's first to act so he wants a valuable hand with | | | | You have be a little careful with flushes that are not at |
| expected value to put money into the pot with. If he | | | | min K high. But that is at your own discretion. This is |
| shows down anything less than one of these hands I | | | | just a basic guideline; you also want to complete the |
| listed above except for QQ or JJ than put a note him | | | | blind with any pocket pair that you wouldn't raise with |
| that he does not open with only premium hands. If he | | | | in this spot. That's pocket eights and lower, you want a |
| does not open with only premium hands you still don't | | | | set an over pair is ok but don't go nuts with it. Play it |
| want to call him with this hand. But that information | | | | like its top pair top kicker. |
| could be very useful in future hands. | | | | This is just a very basic guide to the small blind. I can't |
| The hands you want to call a raise with from the small | | | | stress to you how important it is to always put your |
| blind with are premium hands. You want to dominate | | | | opponents on a range of hands before you choose to |
| your opponents hand. A-A, K-K, Q-Q, J-J, 10-10, 9-9, | | | | make your decisions. I hope this article on how to play |
| A-Ks, and A-Ko anything else should be folded. | | | | the small blind helps improve your online poker game. |