Blind Stealing

[villaridge]

Ok folks. Lets talk about blind stealing. Its a vital (or should be) part of anyones game.

Now as we all know, sites sometimes just go willy nilly with switching you from table to table. If at the start of a tournament I am at table 1, so will never get switched, life is good. But no matter, one of the first things I look at is the three people to my left on the table. To figure out....can I blind steal them.

Now I believe that everyone should do this. Blind stealing becomes really really important in later stages. Many a tournament I've been in depends (because blinds DO matter) on my ability to steal the blinds.,

So, you can be the rock player that just steals once and a while. That works to an extent, as anyone paying attention will know you are playing rock, and fold to you. lol, the fruits of playing Rock, is PEOPLE FOLD to you.

I like to blind steal, and also realize that you are never gonna be anything at poker unless you have Blind Steal in your arsenal, and use it.

So, as I said, first off at a table, I better know the 3 to my left, and their card ranges. That's right, I said card ranges. It's the necessary key info I need to make successful steals. You should always be trying to figure out the card ranges of all players and be making notes about it, but the card ranges of the 3 to your left is critical. Because I really believe, you MUST blind steal to survive later.

The hands you should try to steal with depend on the range of hands you expect your opponents in the blinds to defend with. If they'll defend with relatively few hands, then you should steal with a lot of hands. If they'll defend with a lot of hands, then you should "steal" with few hands, but raise a lot of hands for value.

Anyway, just a ramble, what are your thoughts?

[xxmommaxx]

If you are a patient player, sometimes other players automatically think they can easily steal your blinds in the early stages of the game. That could be an advantage at some tables.

Sometimes you have several very aggressive players who don't know how to change gears when they need to. Let them think they can easily take your blinds when they are small...be patient...watch the table. Watch other people who are getting their blinds stolen for later when you could become the "blind-stealer."

With a little luck, you will eventually get a starting hand that you are willing to risk your chips with. When the blind stealer once again tries to push you out with a big overbet, it's your chance to re-raise. If they have been paying attention to your play, they will fold. If they put you all-in, chances are you will have the best starting hand and take the pot.

If you've survived, now is your chance to "change gears." By now the blinds are a lot bigger and like Villa said.. "Blind stealing becomes really really important in later stages." People are trying to make the money and by now you should have a table image that will allow you to play more aggressively.

[villaridge]

Nice post momma. very true that strategy u mention, but, really that falls under Blind Defense, a whole nother ball of wax than Blind Stealing.

[Phunkphlex]

Another thing worth mentioning about blind stealing is bet size. As Villa mentioned, it's worth paying extra close attention to the 3 seats to the left of you and take a mental note of how often they defend their blinds and to the amount of the raise they fold to. For instance, some players will fold a large percentage of their hands in the BB even to a minimum raise. Others will call a minimum raise with any two cards. If one of the former is to your left, then I would try to take advantage of that by min. raising their BB often. This can be a very profitable play in the latter stages of a tournament when antes are collected. In this case, you have a high probability of picking up a 2.5x BB pot with a 2x BB bet, uncontested! This is a low-risk, high-reward type of play that can be significant when the blinds are expensive.

If you have a staunch blind defender to your left, I would probably play it more straight-laced: open with good hole cards and raise larger (~3x BB). Of course the min. raise strategy may work even in this situation if the defender seems to be a weak player on the flop. If they fold often to a small bet on the flop, then you may have a chance to make an even greater profit off of these players.

[Phunkphlex]

Also, another advantage to blind stealing is flop play. If a blind defender calls your pre-flop raise, you have a couple of advantages: 1) you have position on him/her, so the defender is forced to act first 2) since you raised preflop, you've most likely given the impression that you have a decent hand, regardless of what you're actually holding. Therefore, if an ace or king hits the flop, it's probably not going to be a hard sell to represent that you're holding one. On the flip side, if you raised with, say, 9-8 suited and you hit big on the flop, you're probably going to have a well-disguised hand to potentially trap with.

Naturally, how you play is going to be based on the tendencies of your opponent. If you're facing a tricky opponent who is not afraid to check-raise you with nothing, then I would keep the bluffing at a minimum. But if you're against a tight-passive or loose-passive player, then I certainly wouldn't hesitate to bluff and pick up the pot either pre-flop or on the flop.

With that being said, the last thing a blind stealer wants to see is a stiff re-raise from one of the blinds. When the blinds fold, the stealer wins the pot uncontested. When the blinds call, the stealer has the definite advantage at winning a larger pot on the flop. However, when the blinds re-raise, you are now likely talking about a large percentage of chips at play pre-flop, and that will often force the stealer to muck unless he/she is holding a premium hand.

[Whatsthepassword?]

There are some very good points made here. I know blind stealing is an area I haven't made the most of in the past. I'm going to try to be more aware of opportunities in the future.

[kingmotan]

I always tend to do the "donkish" kind of stealing, sometimes if everyone folds to me, in the SB, I go allin. just to steal the BB. Don't ask me why and Yes, I know it's stupid and yes, BB has called with pocket K or pocket Aces a few times just to donk me and my stupid move. You see, playing too many freerolls in the past can have irreversible effects on your play.
I find this video very interesting. It sounds like it's for beginners but it gives pretty good advices. Negreanu also explains blind stealing. Very good
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xeeozbb2_FQ

[robert_wrath]

Blind stealing is truly a vital part of tournament play especially in the later stages of an event. As stated earlier by the original post, one must analyze the 3 players to your immediate left and profile whether or not weak/tight or loose/passive-aggressive in order to pass judgment.

[Poker Orifice]

In med.-sized buyin MTT's, blind stealing can be alot tougher as it is usually difficult to get oppurtunities to do so. If this is the case, 're-steals' are where it's at..... look to your right and take note of who is open-raising too often and pick your spots to re-steal (especially once your stack size gets into the 15-22bb range, restealing is ideal).

[illphillllllll]

In med.-sized buyin MTT's, blind stealing can be alot tougher as it is usually difficult to get oppurtunities to do so. If this is the case, 're-steals' are where it's at..... look to your right and take note of who is open-raising too often and pick your spots to re-steal (especially once your stack size gets into the 15-22bb range, restealing is ideal).

i fit more into this category. when i sense someone is continually making plays at a pot i will "tax" them every so often. this is a play that will add more chips to your stack then stealing blinds and also slow down the stealer possibly.