Probably a basic question thats been covered already, but the search function is notorious for sucking so if someone knows of a link like this already, please link it and im sorry for adding clutter in advance.

I played some 2/4 six max tonight as I have every night for the past 3 weeks, and I had about a 60 BB downswing which I had never seen before. I only play about 2-3 hours so maybe that's not enough time to materialize a bigger downswing, but I think I found the problem.

I play like an ATM from the blinds. I know you are supposed to lose money in the blinds, but after a while it kinda hit me.

From the big blind, I see a flop if I'm getting 3:1 or better.

From the small blind, I think I play too much. When it's folded to me, I almost always play if my hand is semi-decent, and I call/three-bet raises from the CO or button with marginal to strong hands.

My big blind play is obviously a mistake because even though my hand will often be no worse than 3:1 against the other player's hand, it sucks having to act first, and if I don't hit the flop fairly hard, I'm forced to fold.

Should I let more of my small blinds go? I've heard of only playing the small blind if you can three-bet, so I might go with that, but does this change if it's folded to you? What hands would you need to raise a LAG, or just call? What hands would you need to raise a TAG, or just call?

First of all, get used to the swings. 60 BB is a sneeze in ring games, and a minor hiccup in 6-max.

The whole point of 6-max is that you can work on your blind play. It's okay to fold your big blind to raises... and it's also okay to complete the small blind rarely.

Think of it this way... if a large percentage of your pots are played from the blinds, you're playing a ton of pots out of position.

I don't know what some good stats are for 2/4 6-max, but calling a lot in the blinds will get you killed, and quickly.

Its hard to play from the blinds. I just recently started playing alot of hands from the bb when it is HU against a raise. Hands like 89o or 108 etc I might be wrong in doing so but I dont think its THAT big of a deal.

when the button raises Im 3 betting a lot of hands like Ax, J10 etc. and calling (when the sb folds) with a few weaker hands.

at 2/4 I think youre safe to fold a few of your hands. but as you move up limits you have to start playing a lot more from the blinds or else they'll just keep stealing them.

Dont look at the call in terms of a ratio.

It doesnt matter if you're getting 8:1 - if you're up against 4 superior hands out of position, it's probably not a justifiable call.

Dont think about it in terms of ratio's until you have better knowledge of how likely it is that you'll win the pot.



Are you talking about blind steals or raises in general?

Actually giving up your blinds all the time will get you killed in 6 max. I don't know of any successful player who folds their blinds unless they have a good hand. 56 offsuit, Q2 suited and etc are hands I'll usually defend with, blind play is what makes you money at 6 max and the difference between the good players and the bad players. You should be looking to attack those willing to give up their blinds in 6 max, if I see someone folding their big blind 2 out of 3 hands or so, I'll probably raise with any 2 cards.

I don't know what some good stats are for 2/4 6-max, but calling a lot in the blinds will get you killed, and quickly.


Nah, calling them a lot and sucking postflop will get you killed.

I defend with a lot of junk hands heads up. Just not with junk hands that are likely dominated badly, like K7o or something.

good luck.

Abbracadabra I think you are spewing weak tendencies in this thread.

Im not suggesting folding often against blind steals that go uncontested. This is an issue of when the raise is made, and there are a few callers in between. To be getting 8:1 in the BB, you need to have had at least a raiser and two callers.

Im not defending with A2off if MP raises, button cold calls and SB calls just because im getting 8:1.

Getting 3:1 is a whole lot more appealing with even something like 7/10off to a button raise, when it's folded to you.

The ratio is misleading.

Im not defending with A2off if MP raises, button cold calls and SB calls just because im getting 8:1.

But any two suited and like 8T you are right?

Right??!?!

good luck.

I dont see where you're going with the nutty punctuation.

But to answer your question, no.

Wow seriously? 8T or suited cards in the BB is like finding gold to me multi-way against a raiser and a cold caller or 2

The thing about playing in the blinds is this, your getting a great price to call. More often than not your opponent has 2 unpaired cards, which means even if your behind your not behind by too much. Assuming you can outplay your opponent post-flop, you should want to call more in the blinds with speculative type hands and outplay your opponent post-flop.

I probably do call with 8/10 off. I dont call with _anything_ suited.

Low suited non-connectors are getting dumped.

i have no idea what hand qualifies as a low suited non-connector, but i have a feeling you should be playing them out of the bb.

More than 2 number gaps, and below 10.

ie: 6/10s, 5/9s, 4/8s, 3/7s, 2/6s etc (or worse)

to the OP:

just because you are getting 3:1 doesn't mean you can call with EVERY hand from the BB. it is true that very few hands are worse than 3:1 dogs HU, but you also have to play out of position which has already been pointed out.

still, against steal raises from the CO or Button, you need to defend with a lot of hands. Any two cards above a 9, any pairs (people here disagree about 22 and 33), any suited A or K, any suited connector, any medium connectors, and some suited connectors with gaps. of course, you should only defend with these hands if you can play them postflop.

you should still dump the trash like Q5o, 93o, 84o and 72s.

against open raises from the SB, you can call with almost anything, although if the SB hardly ever open raises, you should be more conservative.

if there are limpers and no raiser, you should complete the SB most of the time (more often than you defend BB vs. steal). But don't worry about defending the SB from raises too much. of course play hands like AJo, but don't worry about A50.

I love playing from the blinds.

I love sucking out postflop HU.

I generally play a lot of hands from the blinds and do pretty well. I've started to cut some of teh crappier hands out recently, and I'm starting to take into account who's in teh pot, how they play, relative position, and all that shit a bit more.

I can't give you a set strategy for playing from the blinds, partly because I'm still working on my blind play. I will tell you that the more marginal hands you play from the blinds, the better you get at making marginal decisions, and the better player you become. Just don't go overboard with this idea though. The key is to learn to play marginally profitable hands well, and learning to identify/avoid the marginally unprofitable hands. Of course, the difference between marginally profitable and unprofitable depends on the situation (how well you play, how well they play, blah blah blah.)

Have fun.

There was a thread about that a while back.

I think that smash was generally advocating a fold if the preflop raiser plays competently postflop; not to always fold.

I could be mistaken.

I used to call HU w/ 22 or 33. but now I usually fold. cuz If I dont flop a set I NEVER know where I stand.

Muck weakish hands to a bet and a call. Don't see a flop 3 or 4 handed with garbage.

Fold Shit connectors.

Defend K3s, 9 10 etc to an obvious button steal. If you are playing 1-2 or 2-4 or in any donkish game, use poker tracker to determine if it is an obvious button steal. Some players rarely raise, even on 6 max. Don't waste money defending against them.

Fold most hands in the SB to a raise.

Well, I'll be the first to admit I have a lot to learn about 6-max still... especially post-flop.