Small Blind, You're In Anyways...

[bagadonuts]

One of the questions that crosses my mind everytime I'm looking at my small blind on the felt. Disregarding all the rules about position and playable hands, I can't help but think "Hey, whether I like it or not, I'm already in for X amount, it seems a waste not to throw in the rest". Do you have a rule of thumb on how to play this? Because you're already partially vested would you allow yourself to play worse hands than normal or do you stick to your guns and let the money go if you don't have a playable openers?
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Best Regards and Good Luck!...J.Bagadonuts

[HeyKidMove]

Thats always something that is tough. I try not to play anything that is total junk. If there is a lot of limpers, you should obviously call with any ace, suited cards, and connectors. But since it's a tough position to play, i try to stay away from junky hands.

[Fictive]

I play maybe a bit loose from the small blind if there are only limpers. Apart from the monsters that I raise with, and the suited connectors, I also tend to play hands like K9s, J7s etc... If the table is fairly passive post flop, I sometimes play even garbage like Q5s in the hopes of people just checking around on the flop. I do have a rule in this though, something that isn't based on anything really: The clearly weaker hands I only play if there are minimum of three limpers + big blind in the pot.

[yodals]

I always view the small blind as dead chips. Best to forget aout them if you have a marginal hand. If it is worth the pot odds, i.e. loads of people are in at the large blind value, deffo call.

Yodals

[lostinlife32]

Originally Posted by yodals I always view the small blind as dead chips. Best to forget aout them if you have a marginal hand. If it is worth the pot odds, i.e. loads of people are in at the large blind value, deffo call. Yodals

I look at it kinda the same way. Once your chips are in the pot, they are no longer yours, they belong to the pot.

I tend to take the half-price approach. I look at the players involved, and make a gut call. While you get a discount in the SB, starting card standards shouldn't sway that much IMHO.

A crappy hand is still a crappy hand.

[nagorb24]

it really is based on the blinds on the table if it is low then i always play the small blind if it cheap bc i already have money on the table

[IFixlexus]

Well, I would try to think of blinds as money that no longer has any connection to me. We all are going to have pay blinds no matter what. You really need to seperate yourself from money that is already in the middle.
In the words of Doyle Brunson, "No sense throwing in good money after bad"
Being able to cut your blind loose without a second thought is, in my opinion, one of the subtle differences between a mediocre player and a good player.

[IFixlexus]

I guess you can get more specific by using math as well. I would complete the bet with a suited connector hand or a small pocket pair if there was like 5 limpers and hope to flop big. Of course depending on my stack size and the make up of the table, you know.

[freiaaron]

the table is fairly passive post flop, I sometimes play even garbage like Q5s in the hopes of people just checking around on the flop. I do have a rule in this though, something that isn't based on anything really: The clearly weaker hands I only play if there are minimum of three limpers + big blind in the pot.

[infinii]

As previously mentioned, you need to view it as it were a cost associated with the game and those chips are no longer yours.

I'll play pocketpairs from the blinds. suited connectors are hard to play out of position iMO. I will never ever place a weak ace from anywhere but a late position (unopened pot). If you play a weak ace from the blinds, you never really know if you're outkicked. I also won't play hands like QJ KJ KQ AJ versus a raise for the same reason...if the pot has been raised already, you could be dominated.

From cost pespective you have a point but you need to throw that line of thought out and realize that positional play is one of the most powerful aspects of holdem, so unless you have a monster...you don't want to be first to act and leading with cbets when you hit air.

[jimbo51]

i always call when it is an unraised pot

[OPDKILO]

I like to push out the limpers. It increases your pot odds as well as your chance of winning the pot.