Tournament Strategies
After receiving pocket cards, you are immediately faced with a choice: play your cards and either raise or call the blinds, or fold.
Practice Matters
Defending from the Small Blind vs Steals
Defending from the Small Blind vs Steals Defending from the small blind is very similar to defending from the big blind with the obvious exception that the big blind is still left to act. This slightly complicates your flatting range, but doesn't change your 3-betting range too much. In some higher stake games it will affect your 3-betting range, and better opponents’ 4-betting range will widen on occasion, but even this doesn't happen very often. Overall it's going to be a lot of the same dynamics, so we'll focus on highlighting the differences.
Defending from the Small Blind vs Button Steals
Defending from the Small Blind vs Button Steals You want to use the same kind of poker though algorithm to break down your flatting and 3-betting ranges versus opponents who are open raising on the button. The only major added factor in this situation is you need to consider your opponent in the big blind.