Blinds in poker are an ante wager that forces players to play in the game. The game would be much less exciting without an ante. Most players would choose to fold unless they had a strong hand. There are two types of ante bets in poker: the big blind or the small blind. These are placed on the table and move clockwise, so each player must place the blind.
Blinds can change your strategy and impact your decision-making. The biggest position in the game is the big blind. It’s the largest of the two ante betting options. This is because you will see the most flops in the big blind. This is a very difficult position to play in because it’s so early. This doesn’t mean you can’t win a hand when playing from the big blind.
Global Big Blind Strategy
You want to play tight when you are in the big blind or any other position. Even though you are already in the pot, and cannot fold pre-flop, you should still be careful about moving forward. This is because you are in one of the most important positions in the game. You are at a disadvantage to your opponents because the small blind is not earlier.
When you are in blind positions, you don’t want your hands to be too loose. You should try to play only good hands, such as pairs, aces and decent connectors. It’s easy to be swayed by the sunk cost fallacy but you shouldn’t lose your big blind when folding.
There will be many chances for you to win blinds back later in a game. So focus on not losing too much, and keep your play tight in the big blind position. You are unlikely to win in the blind positions so be careful. Before you move, consider whether your opponent has raised, how big their stack is, what your hand strength is, and how many other players are in the pot.
Calculating big blind pot odds
Calculating the pot odds is a must before you make any poker decision. It is important to evaluate whether your decision will have a positive expected return. You can find out what percentage of winning your call will be worthwhile by looking at the pot odds. To win a $10 pot, you will need to call $5.
Opponents Hand Range
When playing, you need to be aware of your opponent’s hand ranges. This shows the possible hands your opponent might have. For example, if your opponent raises postflop from an early position you can assume they have strong hand range. You can make assumptions about the possible hand ranges of your opponent based on what cards were dealt on the flop. While you will need to be more careful against strong hands, your chances of winning are much greater against weaker ranges.
Equity Realization
Equity realization is a more complicated poker concept, but it’s essential for those who play from the big blind. This is the percentage of a pot that a hand can win based on its equity, and any post-flop variables. Some hands perform worse than others after flop, and so realize less equity.
