Toward A Basic Strategy For
Low Limit No Limit Hold Em:
Playing the Blinds Pre-Flop

BY: Ashley Adams
Contact at: (Asha34@aol.com)
Author of Winning 7-Card Stud

SMALL BLIND: EVERYONE ELSE HAS FOLDED

This happens much less, I find, in these low limit no limit games than it happens in fixed limit or higher limit poker. Invariably there is at least one person who has called the big blind before the action gets to you. Even more frequently there are two or more callers. Even so, every once in a while you will be left with only one other player in the hand when it is your turn to act.

Heads up action like this will eventually be based largely on your read of the player you are against and your read of how they read you. It is much less card specific than playing against multiple opponents. But when you start, before you have the confidence in your reads that you'll eventually acquire, you need to have some idea of what to do in these situations. Here's what I recommend as a simple basic strategy for playing the small blind in this situation.

In general, raise with any holding that is A-x, K-x, Q-7, J-9 or stronger. Make it a serious raise of three times the Big Blind or so. Call the Big Blind with anything weaker for the extra $1.00. True, in a limit game there are hands that don't warrant a call. But in no limit, especially against passive players who won't raise when they're the big blind unless they have a monster, you can afford to make these calls because of the huge implied odds you have if you actually do make a monster with a perfect flop. Don't be seduced into continuing this loose play against a raise from the Big Blind or if you face action on subsequent streets and you haven't made your hand.

If the Big Blind re-raises me significantly I will fold my hand unless I have a pair of Queens or higher or Ace-King. I'll reraise him by three times his raise if I have Kings or Aces. If he puts me all in or otherwise re-raises me significantly after I have made this re-raise I will fold my Kings and go all in with Aces. It's not worth it to me, absent a good read on my opponent, to play weaker hands against what I will presume is a very strong holding. This assumes relatively equal and fairly large chip stacks - where the cost of calling his own bet is three times or more what I have already put in the pot. Significant changes need to be made in your strategy if your chip stacks are relatively unequal or if you are short or large stacked. But that will come later.

On the other hand, if he just raises me by doubling my bet - making it another $6 or so, then I'll call with any pair and with Ace-Queen as well. Again, this presumes that I have not yet developed a read on him, judging him to be a typical low limit player. As my reads develop I can act differently from this bland style of play.

SMALL BLIND - Caller In Front

If one or more players have called the Big Blind before the action gets to me, but there have been no raises then I will raise the Big Blind or so with any pair, with Ace King and Ace Queen. I have what is very likely to be the best hand and I want to limit the field to avoid some random flop giving a random caller a miracle hand. I will generally raise by the size of the pot or so. The more callers, the larger my raise. So if three players have called the Big Blind then I'll raise by $8 or so, making it $10 to go. If only one player has called the big blind then I'll make it $8 to go. Again, this raise depends somewhat on what the general raise at the table is. If players tend to make it $10 or so when they raise then I want my raise to be larger than that with a few players in the hand. But absent something clearly defined and without knowing the particulars of a table, the numbers I'm providing should get you in the ball park.

Call the extra $1.00 with any holding because of the huge implied odds if you hit a monster on the flop. Just make sure you're cautious if the you are raised by the Big Blind (as explained in the prior section) and on subsequent streets.

SMALL BLIND - Raiser In Front

You're going to play this the same way as you would play in late position. If it's a significant raise - say to $8.00 or more - you will fold with everything except your premium hands. And you'll make a significant raise with Kings or Aces. So, for example, if the raiser makes it $8 you'll make it $25 or so with Kings or Aces.

If it's only a small raise of double the big blind however, you're going to call with any pair and with your big cards like Ace-King, Ace Queen and King Queen. You'll raise with your Kings and Aces as well making it roughly three or four times what the raiser made it. He makes it $5; you make it $15 or $20.

BIG BLIND - CALLERS

You will be at a positional disadvantage against all of your opponents save the small blind. Generally speaking, their calls indicate not much of anything - since players at this level tend to overvalue their hands and raise with poor holdings. They tend to call, often, with any two cards. Small raises from you will not tend to knock them out of the pot once they have called. Large raises may - though some of these guys will tenaciously fall in love with their two cards almost regardless of how weak they seem to be.

As a beginning strategy (that you will modify later as you develop experience and an ability to read your opponents) I have found that passive play works fine. Most of the time I will check if there hasn't been a raise. I will generally not push the small advantages I may have over the field - nor do I try any clever plays to create an image for the other players. There are a few exceptions.

I will make a value raise to $10 or so if I have a big pair - Jacks or higher - wanting to make them pay if they have a weak Ace or a lower pair. I don't want to let in for free someone with A-4 or a pair of 8s who might move ahead of me for free if I check from the big blind. I don't make this move with my big Aces because I want my opponents to hit their Ace when I hit mine. So I save the raising option only for pairs Jack or higher when I'm in the Big Blind.

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