Many online poker players, particularly the newer ones, treat the blinds with a sense of dread, but it’s possible to use the earliest position at the table to your advantage with some strategic decisions and the right point-of-view. Bdg Poker’s guide to helping beginning and intermediate players get more out of their game continues with a look at the blinds.
A key to playing the blinds well is to view them as a low-investment bet that allows you to see the flop, particularly if there is no raising or re-raising occurring before the cards hit the table, which is a fairly common experience among lower-stakes tables both online and in the real world. If the action does roll around over to you with a raise, you’ll want to play fairly conservatively with big-value, face card pairs like A-A and K-K.
The blinds can be frustrating and players will frequently try to snap out of the positions through reckless play. Players in the blinds need to remember that every hand of poker is different and should be considered carefully. Taking a bit of time to process the game can allow you to play the blinds effectively.
Spend time evaluating each position as you play it and consider how the button moves around the table, particularly how other players react to the stress of certain positions and if they realize that each position has advantages and disadvantages.
PLAY POKER WITH AMANDA!
Amanda is a most welcome addition to Team Bdg Pro (now playing under the alias “BodogMander”), and she says that she couldn’t be more excited about what the future holds.
Born: October 4, 1984 – Philadelphia, PA
Home: Las Vegas
Occupation: Professional poker & online poker player
Education: Kutztown University – Speech/Mass Communications Major, Political Science & Public Relations Minor
Claim to Fame: Befriended female poker pro Anna Wroblewski at the Aussie Millions, then moved out to Las Vegas with Wroblewski, who trained her and staked her and together they shared a condo owned by Anna’s friend, poker pro Barry Greenstein.
Bodog Poker Screen Name: BodogMander
