How often will you lay down a small blind in an unopened pot?

I'll often lay down crap (8-2, 10-4, etc) if there are multiple (2-3) callers; my reasoning being that these hands will get me into trouble more often than not if I hit small on the flop, even if I'm getting nice odds.

Seems like every time I lay down a small blind, I hit HUGE on the flop. Annoys me, but I reason I'm making the right PF decision.

If the stacks are big and the odds are good (3+ limpers) I'll complete with most any hand. Just be willing to lay it down if you dont hit 2pair or better, no matter what. Even be wary of bottom two. my 2cents

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BB is t100
Preflop: Hero is UTG with :3d :5d,
Hero raises to t500

i used to fold the sb a lot. then i started to realize i'm getting 3-1 on my call when its just me vs bb. i'll call with any two card in the sb getting 3-1 or better especially when i have chips already invested in the pot. its kind of the same way i feel about getting raised 1x in my bb. i'm calling blind unless i'm so short stacked its not funny. even better if you get a more than one caller to make it worth your while.

*if the pot gets raise before it gets to you, play your cards accordingly.
*my experience is in the $10 level of play mtt and stt so this advice isn't intended for cash games.

lets say any 2 cards and you miss the flop-

-most of the time i'm limping with at least one or more callers. usually i check and fold to someones bet.

--there are times though where you can make a play. playing tight and not making very many bluffs or being in too many hands, the sb is a great position to take down a couple of good pots. that is also another reason to limp from the small blind as often as you can. it telegraphs to the other players that you'll fold to a good bet. that is a great time for a move.

---everyone folds to sb-

----if the bb lets you slide and just checks, come in for a 2x bet after the flop no matter what comes up (exception to the rule* if the flop is dangerous ie. paired, fd, or sd. check and make a move on a reraise or check it down to the river). usually they'll miss the flop and fold. if they call, play it by ear, ie slow down or continuation bet. don't get married to the hand but don't let the call scare you off either. while playing the bb people call the first bet to make a move on 4th or 5th. if you make a continuation bet or even a larger bet you may show that you do have a hand and the player may rethink their move. most times if they call/raise they caught a hand of some sort and will be hard to push them off especailly if its just bb vs sb.

---multiple limpers-

----with multiple limpers, hope that you see a low flop. with a low flop from the small blind many players will believe that you hit a pair if not 2 pair. bet this kind of a flop with a 2x or 3x bet and see who calls. play it by ear from here knowing the type of oppenent you are playing.
any other flop check and trap. its a great play from the small blind. if you only get a 1x or 2x bet, maybe one bettor and at most one caller, especially if it looks like its a steal/chase bet, come back over the top 4x-10x bet. be quick about it not to show any weakness. hope you havn't been traped.

*always take into account what type of oppenent you are up against when making plays with any two cards.

-the only times i find myself folding the sb besides to a raise is when i find myself short stacked to the point that i need every chip for the chance to double up.

lets say you hit the flop-

-make the same check trap play. if it checks to the river make a 4x-10x bet and see if you get called.

-if you hit and you put your oppenent on a draw, bet pot and try and take down the pot right there.

most of the time when i'm in the sb, someone will raise and i'll fold.
then if i do get a chance to limp, i will. if the flop is bad, a complete miss, i usually check and fold to someones bet.
that time i get a chance to make a move or do hit from the sb, it pays off handsomly. its usually a double up.

some people will say "why don't you just raise the bb off before the flop"?

-sometimes i do.
-this is just another move from the sb

well, my 2 cents from the sb
vic

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f*cking it up for everyone else since 1969.

bump

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f*cking it up for everyone else since 1969.

Here's a similar thread

How to approach Small Blind...

My advice is really only intended for 6max cash. I used to play alot from the sb, due to the odds you are getting. However, looking back through PT I saw myself bleeding money from the SB.

I think you have be tight, very tight. You are OOP for the whole hand and unless you are very confident in your post flop OOP play then keep the range tight.

Folded to me I'll raise hands I'd raise A8s+, K8s+, any pair, suited connectors down to 67s, suited gaps down to 97s. I'll alter the range based on the bb's fold to steal stat though.

If there's limpers before me I'm really tightening up on the raising, AT+, KT+, most pairs etc. and folding almost everything else.

If there's a raise I'll pitch most hands, just calling with pairs/AJ/AQ/KQs and 3 betting the big hands.

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By unopened do you actually mean unraised?

In a cash game if the pot is unraised and there are 2-3 limpers I play extremely tight. It looks great odds to complete with 57o getting 7-1 but seriously you just do not hit the flop hard enough, often enough to justify it.
I would even fold unsuited connectors such as 9To.

I probably complete A9+, KQ, two suited face cards and genuine suited connectors and that's about it. Even hands like 67s are pretty marginal when played from the worst position on the table.

Raising a MP limper out of the SB with KTo or 66 seems pretty bad to me.
I would be much tighter and raise only AQ+ and 99+. I usually even complete AQ but I know I am extreme in tis.

It does depend on where the limper is, that range is really for a button limper I suppose, and definitely not for multiple limpers (I should've been more clear). MP limper or before, hmm, probably AJ+ and KQ, but I'm still raising the pairs (they're fairly easy to play oop, and you get paid off big time at NL25).

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For Free Money, Poker Gifts and Rakeback I recommend PokerSourceOnline.

I have to recommend Cardrunners for superb poker coaching. It was honestly the single biggest improvement in my game signing up there! Sign-up fee might seem steep, but it pays itself back within weeks.

Fold PF.

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BOSS