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How to defend the big blind in cash game poker

In the big blind you've already put in 1 bb: against a steal to 2.5 bb you only need to win about 27% of the time to call. Defend with hands that play well after the flop.

8♥7♥
The example hand: Hero in the BB, NL10 with 100 bb

The idea

The big blind is the position that loses the most money, even for the best players. The goal isn't to win: it's to lose as little as possible. Since you've already put in 1 bb, when someone opens from the button they offer you a very good price, and folding too much hands over your blind again and again.

The price

Against an open to 2.5 bb, the pot is 4 bb (the raise, your blind and the small blind) and you call 1.5 bb: you need to win about 27% of the time for calling to be profitable. Lots of hands beat that against a wide stealing range.

Which hands to defend

  • Call: almost every pair, suited hands (especially connected ones: 87s, 65s, T9s) and offsuit broadways (KJo, QTo).
  • 3-bet: your strong hands and some bluffs with an ace (A5s, A4s).
  • Fold: unconnected offsuit hands (J4o, 83o): they rarely hit and play badly out of position.

The later your opponent opens (the button more than the CO, the CO more than UTG), the wider you defend.

After the flop

You'll be out of position, so you need weapons: check-raising strong draws (open-ended straight plus flush draw) and strong made hands stops your opponent from betting their whole range for free.

Common mistakes

  • Folding the big blind to steals almost every time: they steal from you risk-free.
  • Defending any two cards and then check-folding every flop.
  • Calling with dominated offsuit hands (K5o, Q4o).

Check your fold to steal in the BB.

The example hand, step by step

Watch it in the replayer to see it action by action.

Preflop 8♥7♥

  1. Key Hero in the big blind with 8-7 of hearts A suited, connected hand: one of the best for defending the blind.
  2. BTN raises to 2.5 bb
    Key Steal from the button The button opens a very wide range to pick up the blinds.
  3. Hero calls 1.5 bb
    Good Defend at a good price We call 1.5 bb to win 4: roughly 27% equity is enough, and 87 suited has more than that against a button range.

Flop 9♥6♣2♥

  1. Key Nine, six and deuce with two hearts Open-ended straight draw plus flush draw: about 15 cards give us the best hand.
  2. Hero checks
    Key Check Out of position, we check to the preflop raiser.
  3. BTN bets 1.8 bb (33% of the pot)
    Key Small c-bet from the button They bet a big part of their range, including lots of hands that missed.
  4. Hero raises to 6 bb
    Good Check-raise with the draw With this much equity, raising wins the pot often and, if they call, we still have about 15 good cards.
  5. BTN folds
    Good Fold The button can't continue with the hands that missed.

Defending suited, connected hands at a good price and check-raising strong draws makes the big blind lose less.

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