Stealing Blinds - Min Requirements

[Blade]

I'm sure we all steal blinds at some point with, let's say, not the best cards this is without doubt. But what do you consider to at least a minimum hand with which to try it with in case someone actually calls you (or do you do it with anything)? Reason for my question is that I was watching (as I'm sure most of you all were too) the final table of the poker.co.uk challenge last night when Heniek made an all-in move against the blinds, only to be called by the small blind who was holding AKo. Heniek turned over 36s and I'm sure his heart must have been in his mouth at that point. Anyway, a 6 came on the flop, the AK didn't improve and Heniek doubled up and I believe that was a crucial point for the rest of the game for him. Now, I have fairly low limitations on what I'll try to blind steal with, but I doubt I'd ever do it with 36 suited or not? Should I be lowering my hand requirements or is this not the norm and Henieks just a nutter?? :unsure :tongue2 Thoughts?

[DAC]

Re: Stealing Blinds - Min Requirements Just my thoughts, Blades, but it's a positional thing...if you get called then it's upto the Poker Gods.

[The Quiet Man]

Re: Stealing Blinds - Min Requirements I steal blinds with absolutely anything!!! :lol Don't ever call me though as that'll be the time I've got AA. :lol

[gazabroad]

Re: Stealing Blinds - Min Requirements I only ever go all-in preflop with AA, so please remember to fold straight away:lol

[Blade]

Re: Stealing Blinds - Min Requirements

I only ever go all-in preflop with AA' date=' so please remember to fold straight away:lol[/quote'] lol, yeah, please note than my mininum requirement is currently KK for blind stealing ;) ;) As regards position, I knew I'd left something out in the post. I'm interested in what you steal blinds with, when you are the button and the table has folded around to you. I'm guessing you're all going to tell me any two cards will do!

[Pokerose]

Re: Stealing Blinds - Min Requirements I never steal blinds. Ok, I do sometimes.;) They way i see it , is that it depends on my position, my stack relative to everyone else and the number of players left on the table with me. As each of these factors change then my requirements loosen or tighten accordingly. However, unlike some, I haven't got round to the idea of stealing with absolutely anything yet. As a general rule of thumb to make a steal I want: - any pair, any suited connector above 56 or anything with A or K in it. I'm probably kidding myself, but I like to think I might make a case for it on the flop if I'm called. However, if its Gaf blind, anything will do :rollin

[Jaded]

Re: Stealing Blinds - Min Requirements I'll steal with pretty much anything on the button. Or just before the button. Or... well, pretty much anywhere. Loose, me?!

[bigmal76]

Re: Stealing Blinds - Min Requirements everytime i try to steal the blinds i usually end up running into big hands and have my arse handed to me on a plate:ok:wall:wall

[heniek31]

Re: Stealing Blinds - Min Requirements :rollin Blade. Of course Im a nutter. You should have known that :loon. In my game, something like hand requirement for stealing doesnt exist. Position is the most important. If players to your left dont have more chips than you (or not much more) you have to do it as often as possible. You have to remember, that its easier for me to go all in with 36, than for some one to call with, let say A8. Its really hard to find solution for that sort of situation. Each hand is different story.

I never steal blinds.

Now, thats a good one :rollin. I had a pleasure of sitting on BB on the final table, having Rose on SB with her stack 5-6 time bigger than mine. If Im not mistaken , she raised me 7 or 8 times running :cry. And as I said "no mercy". Shows, that with biggest stack you are the king of a castle (queen in the case). One hand was sweet though. She raised me half my chips when I held Q2c. I thought if I dont hit nothing on the flop, will have another round around the table. I called, hitting nut flush with AKxc. Dont mess with a crazy Pole :lol.

[Pokerose]

Re: Stealing Blinds - Min Requirements

:rollin Blade. Of course Im a nutter. You should have known that :loon. In my game, something like hand requirement for stealing doesnt exist. Position is the most important. If players to your left dont have more chips than you (or not much more) you have to do it as often as possible. You have to remember, that its easier for me to go all in with 36, than for some one to call with, let say A8. Its really hard to find solution for that sort of situation. Each hand is different story. Now, thats a good one :rollin. I had a pleasure of sitting on BB on the final table, having Rose on SB with her stack 5-6 time bigger than mine. If Im not mistaken , she raised me 7 or 8 times running :cry. And as I said "no mercy". Shows, that with biggest stack you are the king of a castle (queen in the case). One hand was sweet though. She raised me half my chips when I held Q2c. I thought if I dont hit nothing on the flop, will have another round around the table. I called, hitting nut flush with AKxc. Dont mess with a crazy Pole :lol.

lol, didn't make THAT much difference to me in the end though did it, Hen? :tongue2 The worse thing was, preflop, they were excellent hole cards. Mind you, without sounding too "teamie" 'bout this, I wasn't that unhappy about it :D

[heniek31]

Re: Stealing Blinds - Min Requirements :lol You dont need to defend yourself Rose. I would have done excatly the same in your position. As I said before, awesome display on your side :notworthy.

[Penelopeys]

Re: Stealing Blinds - Min Requirements Minimum requirement: 2 3 off... since it IS a steal... IMO... :)

[6ooner]

Re: Stealing Blinds - Min Requirements

I'm sure we all steal blinds at some point with, let's say, not the best cards this is without doubt. But what do you consider to at least a minimum hand with which to try it with in case someone actually calls you (or do you do it with anything)? Reason for my question is that I was watching (as I'm sure most of you all were too) the final table of the poker.co.uk challenge last night when Heniek made an all-in move against the blinds, only to be called by the small blind who was holding AKo. Heniek turned over 36s and I'm sure his heart must have been in his mouth at that point. Anyway, a 6 came on the flop, the AK didn't improve and Heniek doubled up and I believe that was a crucial point for the rest of the game for him. Now, I have fairly low limitations on what I'll try to blind steal with, but I doubt I'd ever do it with 36 suited or not? Should I be lowering my hand requirements or is this not the norm and Henieks just a nutter?? :unsure :tongue2 Thoughts?

Go in with position and stack power- on the final table with 5 players you should know your position and power before the cards are dealt- maybe that's why I' crap:unsure

[friskyfitz]

Re: Stealing Blinds - Min Requirements You think Heniek is a nutter?? You must not have seen me yet!! ;);)

[jeffers]

Re: Stealing Blinds - Min Requirements On a final table tonight in a Laddys turbo tourny, I was on BB, and the SB tried to steal with an all in. I had A5 so I called (had twice his stack). He turned over 27o. :lol He won with a pair of 2s. :puke

[AJ]

Re: Stealing Blinds - Min Requirements Agree it's a position thing, if you have a chip size advantage and no one else has called. I try and pitch with a raise of about 40% of the chips by the person i'm stealing from, not enough to encourage a all-in, but high enough to worry him about his future at the table, drop 40% while short stacked at a STT and everyone is look at you as an elimination target, just a matter of playing on fear. If he calls me, and I have trash, I'd tend to let it go; I'd only do it when I can afford it, and wouldn't want to risk doubling him up. Related question, when you steal blinds, do you let them know you had nothing or do you muck ?? I'm not sure about this one, I tend to muck to create doubt in his mind, but I see the point of showing my cards from time to time, to encourage him to call me later when I do have a good hand.

[GaF]

Re: Stealing Blinds - Min Requirements There comes a definite point where position, chip stacks, reputation, blinds and number of players to act after you combined are significant enough that your cards can be all but insignificant. There are circumastances where I would "shove" all in with any 2 cards. What is critical in the example of heniek that you gave is "fold equity" - the chance that he will win the blinds without a showdown. This is critical in making this a profitable play....... You may also be shocked to know the odds!!!!! 36s v AKo is a 40% : 60% dog!!!! So even where called, Heniek has a not insignificant chance of winning!! (as indeed he did).

[jeffster]

Re: Stealing Blinds - Min Requirements

I'll steal with pretty much anything on the button. Or just before the button. Or... well, pretty much anywhere. Loose, me?!

Must admit that, although I would like to think otherwise, I am with Jaded on this....:loon

[GaF]

Re: Stealing Blinds - Min Requirements

Related question' date=' when you steal blinds, do you let them know you had nothing or do you muck ?? I'm not sure about this one, I tend to muck to create doubt in his mind, but I see the point of showing my cards from time to time, to encourage him to call me later when I do have a good hand.[/quote'] The further you get in a game - the more you will need to steal and the more you want to play without a call. Generally I never show my cards. My STT strategy is hyper tight early, loosening up as I go on - am toying with the idea of showing my cards early, when I have strong hands, to discourage calls later when I am stealing...... Obviously - the whole issue of showing cards in MTT's can be a lot less important - as you move from table to table you lose any image you have.......

[6ooner]

Re: Stealing Blinds - Min Requirements

Agree it's a position thing, if you have a chip size advantage and no one else has called. I try and pitch with a raise of about 40% of the chips by the person i'm stealing from, not enough to encourage a all-in, but high enough to worry him about his future at the table, drop 40% while short stacked at a STT and everyone is look at you as an elimination target, just a matter of playing on fear. If he calls me, and I have trash, I'd tend to let it go; I'd only do it when I can afford it, and wouldn't want to risk doubling him up. Related question, when you steal blinds, do you let them know you had nothing or do you muck ?? I'm not sure about this one, I tend to muck to create doubt in his mind, but I see the point of showing my cards from time to time, to encourage him to call me later when I do have a good hand.

He just agrees I'm crap;)

[Hedonist]

Re: Stealing Blinds - Min Requirements I read an article about online tells and one thing that was mentioned was to watch out for any player who folded on the button when everyone before him had folded. It is supposed to be the sign of a player who rarely if ever bluffs.

[Valiant23]

Re: Stealing Blinds - Min Requirements

What is critical in the example of heniek that you gave is "fold equity" - the chance that he will win the blinds without a showdown. This is critical in making this a profitable play.......

I think I read somewhere the chances of both blinds folding to a button raise is 11%.

[AJ]

Re: Stealing Blinds - Min Requirements

I think I read somewhere the chances of both blinds folding to a button raise is 11%.

That's an interesting figure, which I tend to think would hold up in cash games. I do think that people would tend to play different in a STT or MTT. Esp as you get close to the bubble. I've found that in the later stages of the lower value STT's both blinds will fold if you raise big on the button, with a chip lead and a reasonably tight table image. I try for not enough to encourage an all in, but high enough to scare him. Either 10 x BB or 40% of his chips which ever is lower. I think fear of being the bubble boy overweighs greed quite often. I've been reading a few STT strategy guides, and my own play seems to back this up

[GaF]

Re: Stealing Blinds - Min Requirements

I think I read somewhere the chances of both blinds folding to a button raise is 11%.

Sorry m8 - absolutely have to disagree - impossible to put a figure on it - it will be DRASTICALLY different depending on situation/blinds/size of raise etc ........ I am called by SB or BB way way less than 89% if I go all in on the button........