The Ultimate Poker Blind Stealing Cheat Sheet for 2024 | BlackRain79

This text was written by blackrain79.com contributor Fran Ferlan.

Blind stealing is usually neglected, however an vital side of the preflop poker technique.

Incorporating blind stealing into your preflop arsenal is an effective way to combine up your sport and make your self harder to play towards.

It’s additionally a great way to select up a couple of simple pots, even for those who don’t have a very sturdy hand.

This text will present you all the things you should find out about profitable blind stealing, whether or not you’re a event or money sport participant.

Let’s get proper into it.

1. Why Blind Stealing is Necessary in Poker

At its core, poker is all about blind stealing. With out the blinds to stimulate the motion, all of the gamers would merely wait round for pocket Aces to place any cash into the pot.

The blinds give gamers the rationale to combat for pots and put extra cash within the center. In the event that they don’t, their stack dimension would slowly begin to dwindle after every orbit.

To blind steal means to open-raise from the late desk positions (the cutoff, the button, and the small blind) with the intention of getting your opponents to fold.

You might be solely blind stealing if you’re the primary participant to enter the pot. If one other participant open-limps in entrance of you, for instance, your open-raise wouldn’t be thought-about a blind steal.

To open-limp means to simply pay the large blind as an alternative of open-raising once you’re the primary participant to enter the pot.

Open-limping is normally a telltale signal of leisure poker gamers.

I received’t get into all the small print on why you shouldn’t open-limp right here. 

However for the needs of this text, you shouldn’t open-limp since you clearly can’t steal the blinds this manner.

Open-limping offers your opponents no incentive to fold their hand, and also you run the danger of getting raised your self.

So for those who’re the primary participant to enter the pot, accomplish that with an open-raise.

By open-raising from the late place, you’ll be able to typically get the gamers within the blinds to fold and decide up a couple of simple pots.

Now, you would possibly suppose there’s no level in combating for one and a half massive blind.

Nevertheless it’s not the scale of the prize, however the sheer frequency that makes blind stealing so worthwhile.

For instance, for those who’re enjoying a 6-max money sport on-line, you have got 3 potential blind stealing alternatives per orbit.

When you solely blind steal as soon as per orbit, this could add up tremendously over the long term.

After all, you’ll hardly ever even have 3 alternatives for blind stealing, since one other participant can doubtlessly open-raise earlier than you.

However the level nonetheless stands.

The underside line is that blind stealing is a fast and simple approach to enhance your winrate while not having to make numerous enormous changes to your general technique.

It’s additionally one in every of simple methods to step by step transition from a good and aggressive (TAG) playstyle to a extra free and aggressive (LAG) playstyle.

In truth, the most effective poker gamers will grasp each of those playstyles and blend up their sport between them, relying on the scenario.

That is one thing I mentioned in my latest video, 5 Indicators of an ELITE Stage Poker Participant.

Now that we’ve lined the significance of blind stealing, let’s get to the precise meat of the subject on find out how to blind steal efficiently.

2. Blind Steal Extra When Taking part in in Place

We’ve already established {that a} blind stealing try consists of open-raising from the cutoff, the button and the small blind.

Nevertheless, between these 3 desk positions, some are extra conducive to profitable blind stealing than others.

So there are 2 explanation why stealing makes an attempt on the button are so worthwhile:

a) your opponents usually tend to fold to stealing makes an attempt, since they’re enjoying out of place

b) even when your opponents don’t fold, you’ll typically have the ability to win the pot put up flop a technique or one other.

You’ll be able to both make a powerful hand and guess for worth, your can attempt to take down the pot with a lightweight c-bet.

A lightweight c-bet (or a bluff c-bet) is a continuation guess made with the intention of getting your opponent to fold.

Once you’re enjoying on the button, you’ll be able to typically get away with enjoying an especially wide selection.

Numerous gamers merely don’t make the most of the facility of place as a lot as they might, which leads them to overlook out on a ton of +EV spots.

The cutoff (the seat on the direct proper of the button) is a barely totally different story.

However the cutoff received’t be as worthwhile for blind stealing for two causes:

a) now there’s 3 gamers left to undergo as an alternative of two, which implies it’s extra probably for not less than one in every of them to have a hand value enjoying.

b) the participant on the button can name (or 3-bet you), thus denying you the chance to play in place put up flop.

This implies you should be a bit extra selective together with your blind stealing makes an attempt, and play a tighter vary on common.

That is particularly the case if the participant in your left is an conscious and aggressive common who can alter to your rampant blind stealing by calling and 3-betting you.

If the gamers left to behave are observant sufficient and more likely to 3-bet you, it’s best to tighten up your vary and blind steal much less (extra about your opponent’s tendencies beneath).

Nevertheless, if the participant in your left could be very tight and unlikely to regulate their sport, you will get away with stealing with a wider vary on the cutoff.

In truth, having a really tight participant in your left is nice to your general profitability as nicely.

Similar to you’d need to have a fishy participant in your proper, you need to have a nitty participant in your left.

A nit is a participant that normally performs very straightforwardly and could be very tight. These gamers normally play a really predictable ABC poker and barely (if ever) exit of line with some loopy bluffs.

Having a good participant in your left is nice as a result of it makes it extra probably so that you can play in place put up flop when open-raising from the cutoff.

Tight gamers are additionally extra more likely to fold to stealing makes an attempt once you’re stealing from the button or the small blind.

This implies you get to deal with the cutoff because the “second button”, and play a wider vary than you usually would.

Conversely, if the participant in your left could be very aggressive, it’s best to tighten up your ranges so that they don’t punish your open raises by 3-betting liberally.

In truth, for those who play poker on-line and have a really aggressive opponent in your left, it’s finest to easily rise up and change tables.

In any other case, you’ll be combating an uphill battle all through your entire session.

In poker, the cash all the time flows from gamers enjoying out of place to gamers enjoying in place.

So when enjoying towards an aggressive participant out of place, you’ll be able to anticipate to lose cash over the long term, regardless of how nicely you’re enjoying.

The positional (dis)benefit is so sturdy in poker there’s no solution to completely overcome it, so it’s finest to not become involved in these spots altogether if it may be helped.

After all, you don’t all the time have the posh of switching seats (for those who’re enjoying poker reside or for those who’re enjoying in a event).

If that’s the case, the most effective you are able to do is play in a approach that doesn’t permit the aggressive participant to make any enormous exploits towards you.

This implies enjoying in a balanced method.

In terms of blind stealing, being balanced means not stealing so typically it offers the participant the inducement to punish you by 3-betting, but stealing typically sufficient so that you don’t miss out on potential +EV stealing spots.

Lastly, the final desk place you’ll be able to doubtlessly blind steal from is the small blind.

Blind stealing from the small blind is totally different from CO and BU blind stealing as a result of:

a) now you’re enjoying out of place relative to the participant within the massive blind and

b) now there’s just one opponent left to undergo

This makes stealing from the small blind difficult since:

However…

b) you’ll be able to steal with a wider vary because you solely must get one opponent to fold.

Blind Stealing Instance Hand #1

You might be dealt J♥7♥ on the BU (button). 

You: ???

You need to open-raise to 2.5 BB.

Whereas enjoying a hand like Jack-Seven suited might get you in bother in different desk positions, it is completely tremendous to open-raise it on the button.

That is assuming the gamers within the blinds aren’t more likely to punish you by aggressively 3-betting.

A hand like J7s additionally has respectable playability put up flop, with the power to make each straights and flushes.

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3. Blind Steal With Playable Fingers

Whereas blind stealing may be very worthwhile, particularly towards sure kinds of gamers, you shouldn’t simply attempt to blind steal with any two random playing cards.

That’s as a result of you’ll get referred to as once in a while, so it’s vital solely to blind steal with arms which have not less than some playability put up flop.

Happily, in relation to blind stealing, you’ll be able to have comparatively lax requirements with beginning hand choice.

That is particularly the case for those who’re enjoying on the button, since your opponents can be extra more likely to fold to your stealing makes an attempt.

When enjoying on the button, you’ll be able to typically get away with open-raising arms that will equate to EV suicide from different desk positions.

Instance arms you’ll be able to blind steal with on the button: 

A♦3♣

T♦7♦

Okay♥5♥

The record goes on.

When enjoying on the button, you’ll be able to typically get away with open-raising as a lot as 40%, and even near 50% of arms in some circumstances.

It’s value noting, nevertheless, that this solely applies for those who’re seeking to blind steal.

When blind stealing, your hand power (or lack thereof) is usually irrelevant.

What issues extra is your opponent’s enjoying tendencies, particularly how typically they fold to blind stealing makes an attempt.

Nonetheless, you need to select arms that may flop one thing respectable not less than a number of the time.

For instance, all of the Ax arms have the power to make a prime pair put up flop, so that they make for respectable blind stealing arms.

For instance, let’s have a look at a variety of Ace-9 offsuit by means of Ace-Two offsuit (abbr. A9o-A2o).

I’ve omitted stronger Ax arms in addition to suited Aces for the sake of instance, since you’d usually play these arms, anyway.

A variety of A9o-A2o will flop a prime pair 16.5% of the time, and can utterly smash the flop 3.63% of the time.

To smash the flop means to attach with the flop in a powerful method, making two pair or higher.

So despite the fact that these arms might not make you a ton of cash over the long term, they may nonetheless flop one thing decently sturdy a number of the time.

Equally, some arms like one-gappers, two-gappers, connectors, suited Kings, suited Queens and so on. make for respectable blind stealing candidates.

Fingers like these even have respectable nuts potential, that means you’ll be able to generally take down an enormous pot for those who occur to flop a monster hand.

On prime of that your opponent could have a tough time placing you in your actual hand, that means will probably be simpler so that you can extract worth from weaker arms.

Blind Stealing Instance Hand #2

$1/$2 Money Recreation, Efficient Stack Measurement: 100 BB

You might be dealt 8♠7♦ on the BU (button). 

You: ???

You need to open-raise to $5.

Calling with a hand like this preflop can typically get you in numerous bother, however there’s nothing flawed with open-raising it on the button.

The hand is way from completely unplayable, and with solely two gamers left to behave, you’ll be able to open-raise it profitably, particularly if the gamers within the blinds are more likely to fold lots.

Even for those who get referred to as, you’ll be enjoying in place put up flop with a good speculative hand.

And for those who smash the flop with a two pair hand or perhaps a straight, you’ll be able to typically receives a commission off, as a result of your opponent could have a tough time placing you in your actual hand.

87o will smash the flop 4.78% of the time, and can flop an inside straight draw and an open-ended straight draw 26.5% and 9.71% of the time, respectively.

4. Blind Steal In opposition to Tight and Passive Gamers

Blind stealing is among the best methods to print EV over the long term, but it surely’s solely worthwhile towards sure kinds of opponents.

Keep in mind, the aim of blind stealing is to get your opponents to fold preflop.

Because of this blind stealing is just worthwhile in case your opponents are literally able to folding.

In different phrases, try to be cautious when attempting to steal blinds from leisure gamers, since they’re much less more likely to fold to your stealing makes an attempt.

Leisure poker gamers (aka the fish) are infamous for taking part in approach too many arms preflop and calling down an excessive amount of, neither of which is conducive to profitable blind stealing.

With that in thoughts, you’ll be able to nonetheless open-raise from the late positions with a wider vary towards fish, since they’re more likely to name you down with numerous worse arms.

Taking part in in place as a preflop aggressor towards leisure gamers is nearly probably the most worthwhile spot in no restrict maintain’em, interval.

So it’s best to undoubtedly search for alternatives to become involved in pots like these.

In terms of blind stealing, although, it’s higher to focus on weak and tight common gamers, particularly once you’re enjoying in place.

Listed here are a couple of key elements it’s best to search for when blind stealing:

a) steal wider towards tight gamers 

This one’s pretty self-explanatory. The much less arms a participant performs on common, the extra probably they’re to fold to stealing makes an attempt.

Ideally, you need to goal nits who play very tight ranges preflop.

b) search for gamers who fold an excessive amount of to stealing makes an attempt

That is arguably an important issue to contemplate in relation to blind stealing. 

In case your opponent folds to steals 8 and even 9 instances out of 10, you’ll be able to principally steal their blinds with any two playing cards.

c) blind steal wider towards gamers who aren’t more likely to 3-bet

Except for focusing on tight gamers, you must also goal passive gamers who aren’t more likely to combat again for his or her blinds.

In different phrases, you need to search for gamers who don’t 3-bet lots.

Competent regs will normally alter to rampant blind stealing by throwing out an occasional gentle 3-bet, or they may name your open-raise with a wider vary, particularly in the event that they’re enjoying in place.

If the gamers within the blinds are aggressive 3-bettors, it’s higher to tighten up your vary and be extra selective together with your blind stealing makes an attempt.

d) blind steal towards fit-or-fold gamers

Irrespective of how well-thought-out your blind stealing makes an attempt, they’re nonetheless going to get referred to as once in a while.

That’s why it’s helpful to have some form of edge put up flop, whether or not it’s positional benefit, respectable playing cards, or some form of ability edge.

In terms of having a ability edge, it’s best to search for gamers that are likely to play a “fit-or-fold” model put up flop.

This implies they have a tendency to surrender pretty simply put up flop in the event that they miss the flop, which can occur more often than not.

In opposition to these gamers, you’ll be able to c-bet the flop with a really excessive frequency and anticipate them to fold more often than not, particularly if the board texture could be very dry.

Once you’re c-betting the flop with the intention of getting your opponent to fold, that is referred to as a lightweight c-bet.

e) blind steal towards oblivious gamers

Lastly, you don’t need to go overboard with blind stealing, since you don’t need to make it too apparent to different gamers.

It’s higher to throw out an occasional blind steal and do it for a very long time, than to do it at each alternative and permit your opponents to regulate and exploit you.

With that in thoughts, some gamers received’t alter their sport in any respect, regardless of how out of line you get.

These gamers are more likely to be passive fish or very weak regulars, and so they’re best targets for blind stealing.

5. Use Smaller Wager Sizing for Blind Stealing

Lastly, let’s talk about the guess sizing it’s best to use when blind stealing.

The usual open-raise is 3 massive blinds. So for those who’re enjoying a $1/$2 money sport, for instance, the usual open increase could be $6.

You actually can’t go flawed with utilizing the usual open-raise dimension when blind stealing, as nicely.

Nevertheless, you can too make slight changes to your open-raise dimension to make blind stealing extra worthwhile.

You’ll be able to lower your open-raise dimension to 2.5 BB (and even 2 BB in some circumstances) to get your self a greater risk-to-reward ratio.

Reducing your open-raise dimension reduces your required fold fairness (or RFE for brief).

RFE is one other phrase for a breakeven share.

In different phrases, RFE tells you the way typically your opponents must fold so that you can break even on a sure motion (on this case, how typically they should fold to your blind stealing makes an attempt).

The components for calculating RFE is straightforward: you divide the danger by the sum of danger and reward.

RFE = Danger / Danger + Reward

The place:

Danger = Open-raise dimension

Reward = Pot dimension

Now, let’s calculate the RFE for each 3 BB and a pair of.5 BB open-raise.

Let’s assume you’re blind stealing from the BU, so the pot dimension is 1.5 BB (massive blind + small blind).

3 BB RFE = 3 / 3 + 1.5 = 67%

2.5 BB RFE = 2.5 / 2.5 + 1.5 = 62.5%

As you’ll be able to see, reducing your open-raise dimension by half an enormous blind reduces your RFE by 4.5%.

This may increasingly not look like an enormous deal, however do not forget that poker is a sport of razor skinny margins, and this small edge provides up tremendously over the long term.

So reducing your guess dimension could make blind stealing extra worthwhile in case your opponents are detached to your guess sizing.

To place it one other approach, in case your opponents fold with the identical frequency to totally different guess sizing.

It’s additionally value noting that you just normally don’t want the RFE outlined above to blind steal profitably.

That’s as a result of enjoying on the button typically permits you to win the pot put up flop as nicely, given that you’ve the positional benefit and the initiative.

This implies that you may both win the pot outright preflop, or win put up flop by making the most effective hand or by making your opponents fold.

When stealing from the cutoff, it’s much less probably you’ll win the pot outright preflop, since there are 3 opponents left to behave as an alternative of two.

So reducing your open-raise dimension to 2.5 can also be a good suggestion, particularly for those who’re more likely to face a 3-bet.

When stealing from the small blind, the RFE modifications a bit, since now you solely have 1 massive blind to win, however you’re additionally compelled to put up half a blg blind.

So the RFE when stealing from the small blind seems to be like this:

3 BB RFE = 2.5 / 2.5 + 1 = 71%

2.5 BB RFE = 2 / 2 +1 = 67%

As you’ll be able to see, blind stealing from the small blind is much less worthwhile for a couple of causes:

a) you now solely have 1 BB to win versus 1.5 BB you’ll be able to win from the CO or BU and

b) you’re compelled to play out of place if the large blind calls.

Nevertheless, one issue that makes stealing from the SB worthwhile is the truth that you have got just one participant left to beat.

So if the participant within the massive blind folds an excessive amount of to stealing makes an attempt, and isn’t more likely to alter by defending their massive blind, you’ll be able to nonetheless blind steal with fairly a variety.

There’s additionally the choice of stealing with 2 massive blinds, thus reducing your RFE even additional.

This will actually be a viable technique at instances. 

Nevertheless, some regs might deem this as taking it too far, and could also be compelled to begin defending their blinds with a wider vary or begin 3-betting you extra liberally.

This will nonetheless work if the gamers within the blinds are completely oblivious and aren’t more likely to alter their sport.

However as a normal rule, it’s higher to stay with 3 BB or 2.5 BB open-raise generally.

The Final Blind Stealing Cheat Sheet – Abstract

All you need to do is be looking out for potential blind stealing alternatives throughout your session.

Stealing a couple of blinds right here and there might not look like it’s well worth the trouble, however it will possibly add up tremendously over the long term.

To sum up, right here’s all the things you should find out about profitable blind stealing.

1. Why is blind stealing vital?

Blind stealing permits you to decide up a couple of simple pots even with out a significantly sturdy hand. 

It additionally makes it simpler so that you can extract worth out of your opponents when you really do get up with pocket Aces on the button.

2. Blind steal extra in place

You need to do nearly all of your blind stealing from the button. When enjoying on the button, you’ll all the time have positional benefit put up flop.

This makes it extra probably to your opponents to fold to your steal preflop, however even when they don’t, you’ll typically have the ability to win the pot put up flop because of the positional benefit.

3. Blind steal with playable arms

When blind stealing, your hand power is usually irrelevant, but it surely’s higher to blind steal with arms which have not less than some form of playability put up flop.

This implies you shouldn’t blind steal with simply any random hand, however with arms which have the power to make sturdy pairs put up flop, and/or arms which have respectable nuts potential.

4. Blind steal towards tight and passive gamers

Gamers who play tight ranges preflop usually tend to fold to your stealing makes an attempt.

Keep in mind, the purpose of blind stealing is to get a fold preflop, so it doesn’t make sense to blind steal towards gamers who wish to play numerous arms (aka the leisure gamers).

5. Use smaller guess sizing when blind stealing

The usual open-raise is 3 BB, and you may actually use it when blind stealing, as nicely.

Nevertheless, decreasing your open-raise dimension to 2.5 BB (and even 2 BB in some circumstances) offers you a greater risk-to-reward ratio, and it reduces your opponent’s required fold fairness.