Table Position,
Hand Selection
July 2 2008
Playing out of the small blind is not a desirable spot to be in. You will have to act first after the flop and on every street after that, so hand selection plays an important role in small blind play. Like any bad position you want to have good cards before you get into a hand.
If the action has been folded around to you, you can make a raise with good cards against the big blind. You will usually pick up the pot right there, but be careful if they call. You will need to hit the flop to continue your aggression if that happens. With medium-strength hands, you should look to flat call so the pot isn’t too big. The bigger the pot, the more likely you are to face aggression, so keeping it small will get you more time to build a better hand if you have missed the flop.
If you are head-to-head with the big blind, and either of you raised pre-flop, it’s a high-percentage play to bet out at flops with an ace or king in them. If the big blind had one of these cards in their hand, they would likely have raised it up pre-flop. Representing that you have the big pair is often enough to win the pot. If you do get called, it’s likely that you’re beat.
If everyone has folded, and the button player raises you and the big blind, you can reraise with hands like A-10 or K-Q. They are most likely trying to steal the blinds, and some returned aggression will often win you the pot – as long as the big blind isn’t holding a surprise that could get you in trouble. You should also muck weak cards in this situation and wait for the next hand.
Learn all about
Table Position in the Bodog Poker Guide.
