SNG: Low-Blind Strategy

General Strategy for Low Blind Play

Three types of hands that should be played:

1. Premium Hands
   
   1. (AA, KK, QQ, AK) & (AQ, AJs, JJ-99)
2. Speculative Hands
   
   1. (Suited Connectors, Suited Aces, Low-Mid Pairs, Mid-High Suited Semi-Connectors)
3. Late Position Value Hands

Pocket Aces-Queens

• Raise, re-raise big before the flop (make larger raises in low stakes SNG)
  
  • Raise to value bet and limit your opponents
• Ideally take down a sizeable pot pre-flop, partially with Queens
• If at an action table and in early position, go for a check-raise
• If your hand doesn’t fair the best post-flop in a multi-way pot and your facing a lot of action, fold
• If you have only a few players post-flop and everyone shows weakness by checking, bet ½ the pot even if there is an over-card
• If you are the aggressor be willing to go all-in pre-flop. It’s the one time your willing to play a big pot in low blinds
• If an opponent goes all-in pre-flop, call with Aces and Kings.

Big Slick (AK)

• Great low-blind hand since it’s easy to get away from if you miss the flop
• Standard 3xBB raise if you face no openers
  
  • Add a little more to your bet for each limper
• If pot is raised, often call avoiding large pots in low-blinds
• If raised and the pot has multiple calls creating a large pot, go all-in
• Value bet flop if you hit your Ace or King
  
  • Place a higher bet with more people in the pot, and if the board is coordinated
• If you miss only continue bet if you are the pre-flop aggressor and everyone shows weakness

AQ, AJs, JJ-99

• Fold AQos, & AJs in early position
• Limp or standard raise with AQs, TT-99, and raise with JJ in early position
• In middle or late position call or raise with all of these hands if facing limpers; tend to fold if your facing a raise (particularly with AQos & 99)

Speculative Hands

• You must satisfy these three conditions:
  
  • Your in middle or late position
  • The pot is un-raised with at least two limpers
  • You are holding a hand which could develop into a post-flop monster
    
    • Usually means: suited connectors (45 suited and up), suited Aces, or ideally mid-low pocket pairs
    • Mid-high suited semi-connectors also qualify in late position after several limpers
• Goal is to see cheap flop, fold if you miss
• If pot is usually un-raised, limp small pairs in any position
• Do not use speculative hands to call raises or justify playing trash hands
• Be less inclined to play speculative hands if a player yet to act tends to raise

Late Position Value Hands

Must satisfy three criteria

1. Decent hand in late position
2. Everyone folds to you
3. You believe a raise will win the pot uncontested

Post-Flop Low-Blind Play

Post-flop is broken down into the following:

• Excellent Flops
• Solid Draws
• Hands you were pre-flop aggressor but missed
• Marginal hands
• All other hands (tend to check & fold)

Excellent Flops (Two pair with top kicker or better)

• Bet for value even if pre-flop aggressor
  
  • Bet more if facing multiple opponents or facing a dangerous flop
• If you believe your opponent is on a draw on the Turn, bet even if your hand is unbeatable

Solid Draws (flop draw to nut flush, mid pair with open ended straight/flush draw, or other quality draws)

• If in multi-way pot and checked to you as the last person to act, take the free card (unless you have a strong feeling a bet will win immediately)
• Keep the pot small when drawing
• If there are opponents to act after you, but it’s checked to you, bet if you would call a bet (semi-bluff)
• If facing a raise, tend to fold unless odds are good
• If someone bets just before you in a multi-way pot with players left to act, tend to fold. The action may get re-raised behind you
• With a straight-flush draw smooth call raise in multi-way, re-raise if heads up

Hands Where You Were Pre-flop Aggressor, and Missed

• If holding a missed speculative hand tend to check & fold every street
• If holding steal, or premium hand make a ½ - 2/3 pot bet against few opponents showing weakness
  
  • Fold to a prior bet or if facing a raise to your bet

Marginal Hands (Flop weak top pair or modest hand)

• If everyone checks to you bet ½ the pot. If you receive any action back, abandon the hand
• Fold if you face a bet before your turn to act
• Fold your hand if the following are met
  
  1. Pot is small
  2. Hand is marginal
  3. You were not the pre-flop aggressor

If you are the pre-flop aggressor and an opponent bets
out unexpectedly at the flop, he is very unlikely to have a monster hand.