Strategy post: blind defense

holdem2000 · #1 11-07-2007, 03:15 AM

I always notice that some of the players I've played thousands of hands with have defended their SB from steals a lot more than their BB (most of these players defend their BB less than 10% of the time but their SB 20-30% of the time). I'm wondering if these statistics are popping up entirely randomly (i.e., while these players have a smaller range they play with from the SB, I have so many of these opponents who I've only played a few thousand hands with that randomly I'll see a few defend the SB more until I get much larger samples), or if a few of them deliberately do defend their SB from steals more than their BB.

So does anyone reading this defend their SB from steals more than their BB? If any data miners are reading this and could let me know whether any players in their database show this patter over a more significant sample size, I'd appreciate that too.

For those of you who do defend your SB more, what are the reasons you do this? When you defend, about how often are you calling and how often are you 3-betting?

I'm mostly looking for replies at 50NL and up, but any useful feedback is appreciated.

iponnet · #2 11-07-2007, 04:39 AM

I have noticed this myselft, I think after a few K hands there is nothing random about it and they are betting/3betting/restealing from there way more often then they should, because why would they defend their SB so much unless they got a hand? right.... I mean they can sucessfuly rep a good hand from there than BB more often!!!

so a nice 4bet is called for I guess

five4suited · #3 11-07-2007, 04:48 AM

[ QUOTE ]
betting/3betting/restealing from there way more often

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seconded

holdem2000 · #4 11-07-2007, 04:56 AM

If they are doing this it must be a conscious decision on their part, can anyone think of why they would do this? Most of these players that I've noticed fold their BB to steals a bit more than average, so I suspect that they play back less from the BB worried about it looking like a resteal, while they hope that regularly restealing from the SB will go unnoticed. Any other ideas?

Renton · #5 11-07-2007, 05:29 AM

do some ev analysis with specific hands (i.e. 88, KQ, 89s) vs specific late position raising ranges (i.e. top 10%, 20%, 30%) to figure out what you should be reraising/calling/folding.

This is one of the toughest situations in poker and its what often separates a big winner from a small one.

holdem2000 · #6 11-07-2007, 06:18 AM

[ QUOTE ]
do some ev analysis with specific hands (i.e. 88, KQ, 89s) vs specific late position raising ranges (i.e. top 10%, 20%, 30%) to figure out what you should be reraising/calling/folding.

This is one of the toughest situations in poker and its what often separates a big winner from a small one.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not really looking for tips in defending my own blinds here, I'm pretty happy with that. I'm more looking to understand why a handful of regulars are playing the way they are - I understand defending both blinds while defending the BB more than the SB, and I understand why nitty players just don't defend either blind much, but I don't get the few players who I think are defending their SB vs. a steal much more than their BB heads up vs. a steal. I'm looking for other potential reasons they do this so I can understand their play a little better.

hielo_uno · #7 11-07-2007, 06:24 AM

[ QUOTE ]
do some ev analysis with specific hands (i.e. 88, KQ, 89s) vs specific late position raising ranges (i.e. top 10%, 20%, 30%) to figure out what you should be reraising/calling/folding.

This is one of the toughest situations in poker and its what often separates a big winner from a small one.

[/ QUOTE ]

Renton, what software to you use to do this kind of analysis? Is there a post or sth that could show me how to do this?
If you have any tips, that would be great. Thx

holdem2000 · #8 11-07-2007, 06:27 AM

hielo, download PokerStove: http://www.pokerstove.com/ It's not too difficult to get the hang of the software but you can probably google a tutorial if you need a jump start.

hielo_uno · #9 11-07-2007, 06:40 AM

I do use pokerstove, but Renton mentioned sth about position hand ranges vs specific hand. I dont really know how to do that w/ Pokerstove.Sorry for being such a noob. ><

iponnet · #10 11-07-2007, 06:48 AM

[ QUOTE ]
If they are doing this it must be a conscious decision on their part, can anyone think of why they would do this? Most of these players that I've noticed fold their BB to steals a bit more than average, so I suspect that they play back less from the BB worried about it looking like a resteal, while they hope that regularly restealing from the SB will go unnoticed. Any other ideas?

[/ QUOTE ]

no this reason is good enough for them, they usually want to take it down preflop or by a cbet so you you can adjust by floating/4betting I guess