Many players are under the impression that when they put money in the pot it is their money. This is incorrect. Once you put money in the pot, it is no longer your money. It belongs to the player who ultimately wins the hand. Calling a raise from the blind just because you have put money into the pot is not what winning players do. This is especially true if you are the small blind.
Defending the Small Blind.
Even in an unrasied pot the small blind must make a decision whether or not to complete the bet. That half of bet you have to put in to complete your small blind can pay for your small blind the next time around the table. In some games the small blind only puts in a third of a bet because they don’t use 50 cent chips. In a $3/6 game the small blind is a dollar so relinquishing your small blind will give you money for our next two times around the table.
In the small blind it will cost you one and a half bets to call a raise if you are in a game where the small blind is half the bet. In most instances you should play the small blinds as if you never had any money in the pot at all and fold those marginal hands whether it was raised or not.
Defending the Big Blind.
Some players will always defend their big blind to a raise. Before you automatically throw more money into the pot there are a few questions you should ask yourself.
Who made the raise? It’s not too hard to figure out the types of players at your table. The maniac will be raising at every opportunity and the rock will barely bet unless he has a big hand and a passive player will usually just call many hands. Knowing the type of player who made the raise will be a big factor into determining if you defend or not.
How many players called the raise? If there are three or more players calling the raise before it is your turn to act, your will probably be getting good odds to call a single raise. You can call with any pair, connectors, or a suited ace. A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself if would normally play this hand for a singe bet if you were not in the big blind
What position was the raise made from? If the raise came from a player in early position it usually an indication of a strong hand. That is if the player is not one of the maniacs who has been raising at every opportunity. If the raise came from late position and no one has entered the pot to that point you are may be looking at a raise that was made in an attempt to steal the blinds.
Countering a Steal.
There will be times when you just know a raise from a late position player is an attempt to steal. If you have been playing tight and relinquishing your blind to every raise you will have players trying to steal more often. Sometimes it is best to call a raise from the blind if you are just sitting down in the game. This will alert some of the players that you will just not automatically fold to a raise.
If you have a player who is constantly raising to attempt a steal then you should wait until you have a semi strong hand and play back at them by re-raising them. A small pocket pair is a good hand to do this with. If you re-raise before the flop and then come out betting after the flop there is a good chance the player will fold if they have only raised in an attempt to steal.
If you do call a raise from a player you put on a steal and then hit your hand you are in a good situation to milk some money from them by just checking the flop. Most players who try to steal before the flop will come out betting in an attempt to convey a legitimate hand. You can shut them down with a check raise or slowplay it and check raise on the Turn.
Knowing when and from whom to defend your blind will help make your game profitable. Observe and adapt to the situation.
Until next time, remember: [br "Luck comes and goes...Knowledge Stays Forever!"