To be good at poker, even online poker, you can’t solely rely on mathematical probabilities, but you must also develop your skill to study your opponents and to hide the true value of your card. Blind stealing allows you to profit with a less than the best hands available with less time, allowing you to build your stack over time. Here’s what you should know about it.
Blind Stealing Defined
The art of blind stealing is defined when a player raises the bet, usually during pre-flop, hoping to make every one else fold their cards and win the pot uncontested. Blind stealing rests on the idea that 85% of the hands are folded by the small blind at the event of a steal and 45% are folded by the big blind. This action is usually made by players from the late position, usually the player on the button. When you do some blind stealing, you win dead money regardless of the strength or weakness of your hand.
There exists, however, a dilemma when it comes to blind stealing. When exactly is blind stealing not just a case of bad bets? Can you call an AA raise on pre-flop, blind stealing? Could blind stealing be limited to less-than-awesome hole cards? These questions are never answerable upfront, but you need to have the table and the players playing some poker in order to do so. For the benefit of the discussion, a blind steal is a blind steal during the instances when you want to get everyone out of the game.
Making Blind Steals Work Wonders
Making blind stealing work starts by making sure you are in the best position to do so. For starters, it is advised to do blind steals from the late position. This is not even a guarantee as many players know that the button position is a blind stealing position and players would call the button even with mediocre hands. Needless to say, be sure to consider the bets behind your back, and make sure you are the first to act. This way, you lessen the odds of blind stealing against a genuinely strong hand.
Betting is the central idea behind blind stealing, and what you bet defines the success or failure of your plots. It is advisable to bet an amount big enough to make them fold, but bet with an amount that’s bigger than the minimum bet, but be cautious. It is advised to make bets that range anywhere from 2.5 to 4 times the big blind. Moreover, be sure to make your bets randomized. This is important because it gives your opponent the idea that you have thought of your actions well. Moreover, this will give them a hard time putting formulas and pattern for all of your actions.
Lastly, randomize the things you do. Play your cards well by making sure you are not caught dead doing anything, much more if you are blind stealing. Not all blinds and pots are worth stealing, and not all cards are armed for it. So if you have strong hole Cards or good hands, don’t hesitate to play them. This allows you to make your moves more unpredictable.
