Why Defend Your Blinds?

[Phoenix Wright]

I should begin by stating that I do defend my blinds; I don't want to fold to exploitative open-raises just because I'm in the Big Blind and the open raiser is observant.

However, defending my blinds is something I never gave much though into - I just did it. Why should blinds be defended though? Is it because we are already "invested" in the pot when other players aren't (excluding ante games)? Is it connected to being out of position? Or is it simply to prevent exploitative open-raises like I noted?

I think most beginners defend their blinds, on a basic level, because they feel "invested" into the pot via forced bets (blinds). However, is there more reasoning to this? Here is my thinking: the button rotates around the table (as do the blinds in relation), so long-term, everyone will have the blinds an equal amount of time. Therefore, are we really losing chips by not defending our blinds - everyone must put chips in (blinds) sooner or later, so wouldn't this be considered a wash and even out?

Most ranges for Big Blind continuation is around 50% (which is why the player in the Big Blind is likely to remain in the hand), so what is the reasoning for such a wide range of hands in the Big Blind compared to other positions and why should the blinds be defended at all if everyone gets them equally?

 

[axelnkr]

I think that defend our blinds takes to make bad decisions later in game, for example, if you connect a low pair, try to win with that hand, and you are falling in a bad gaming.

 

[Phoenix Wright]

Bump. I really would like to hear more opinions on reasoning to defend your blinds.

 

[Pokerpoet2]

Once your money goes into a pot whether it be the big blind or not, it is no longer your money it belongs to the pot and the player who wins it.
You would be insane to try and protect a 7/2 off against a raise of 3x the blind but off course if you had AA in a starting hand you should be re-raising in BB position.
I only protect a BB with strong pairs and drawing hands but that does not mean I only play those type of hands.
Only 2 days ago I had 9/6 off in the big blind and no one raised pre-flop so just checked, flop came 9/6 of clubs with a 5 of hearts and I checked, one idiot pushed all in with 2 clubs in his hand a second player called all in with Ace 6 off suit so I was getting the right odds to call.
Even if the player had a straight on the flop and the flush drawer made his flush, all would be beaten by a boat if I hit another 9 or 6 as I did on the river.
By the way I had 3x more chips than both the other players so was not putting tourney life on the line

 

[mar_dragan]

Logical answer is because that hurts
When someone raise you,and you are on bb,warrior inside you say we will fight
I guess it is answer

 

[Romox]

Logical answer is because that hurts
When someone raise you,and you are on bb,warrior inside you say we will fight
I guess it is answer

Haha, i feel you. You quickly get the feeling that the opponent is only raising because he thinks he can quickly take a small pot.
But tbh i'm not really good in defending my blinds in general

 

[olewerkrd]

Blind protection is very good, but you need to do it in moderation, depending on the hand and what bet the previous opponents made. After all, you can just fall under the one who decides to steal the blinds, and he will have a better hand than ours, and the bet will be higher than 3 bets, and we are more likely to just lose, and the more money you invested in the bank, the more difficult it is to fold. . Keep calm and analyze))

 

[KyleJRM]

Because if you don't do it occasionally, a smart player will notice that you never do it and farm you accordingly. It's a small difference, but at the higher levels small edges are what you need to get ahead.

 

[kubistok]

I think that defend our blinds takes to make bad decisions later in game, for example, if you connect a low pair, try to win with that hand, and you are falling in a bad gaming.

In my opinion, defending blinds is bad decision, too.

 

[Therminator]

It is important to defend the big blind because it gives you the image that the late position players can't just try to steal your blind just for the sake of stealing it with nothing.

 

[vajavava]

Never defend the blinds ..coz if you have give blinds it's not your enymore ..if you are on the big blind sometimes need to defend coz some players still the pot and this will be bad for you on the late game ..if always go fold with a raise in the end you lose from the blinds only !!

 

[DS3]

Frankly I could not agree more. If I have a strong holding in the BB I will often shove against an aggro player and it surprising the big raises that they will sheepishly fold.

But with a weak holding I simply do not care, especially early days when the blinds are small. I also find it redundant and something of a wash as we are all in the same boat every orbit.

As for the aggro player who might spot an unwillingness to defend the big blind, they will be aggro in numerous spots so I attempt to chill and play back when I have a strong hand regardless of position let alone blind.

 

[ROYALROAD]

Completely, It depends on the situation of the place.

To protect a blind has no great meaning.

 

[vinnie]

"All poker starts as a struggle for the antes [blinds]."
The Theory of Poker by David Sklansky.

So many people here say they don't defend their blinds. The blinds are at the heart of every poker hand. You will almost certainly lose money from the blinds, long term against competent opponents, because of the combination of being forced to put money in with a random hand and play with the likely worst position. But, you should work to minimize the amount you are losing from these spots. That means you need to defend many hands. You often are getting a very good price and many hands are worth defending with. Also, if the raise was from the CO or the BTN, you are up against a wide and weak range.

Don't defend with every single hand, but you need to defend fairly often.

 

[Sweeterman]

After reading this, I definitely need to protect my blinds more

 

[Sebarios59]

The slogan says defend your blinds, I defend them because they are mine and because I do not make it easy for any player to take the blinds with a small raise. It should also be taken into account that defending a blind can put the total stack at risk, so we must measure or define the defense ranges of our blinds, as well as try to define the attacker's opening range, frequently The open raiser will analyze how much we defend our blind as well as we must analyze how often I attack our blind, nor is it defending for defending and without any prior analysis.

 

[Delfino]

It's just a matter of odds. If people are stealing blinds - it means they raise with wide variety of hands. Therefore you can force them to fold a lot of those hands. It's a psychological war, but if you give it up they will be profitable with stealing and you will constantly lose money. Obviously you shouldn't call or raise all hands but on avarage better hands than they steal with. And you can judge about their hands on the frequency of their raises.

 

[eberetta1]

I am not one to defend my blinds. I am not going to waste perfectly good money protecting a 36 and an 84 when I can just as simply try to steal someone's blind when I have better cards that have better odds of bringing home the pot.

 

[valanddon]

If you do not defend your blinds they will bluff you out of chips.

 

[Vallet]

You yourself have noted the fact that some players can protect the blinds based on their instincts. They've already put their chips in the pot. I'll tell you what blind protection gives me. Here are a few reasons.
I know the number of players who want to see the flop.
I can see the positions they're coming from.
I can determine the approximate range of their hands in the future.
I evaluate the pot and the possibility of participating in the hand in relation to my stack. These and other things provide an advantage for protecting the blinds.

 

[1nsomn1a]

win at least one of your blinds every round and no one will lift you from the table.

By investing money in a pot, you already have a better chance of winning it, which gives you a greater range of hands to enter and more attempts to beat out opponents with a raise.

 

[tauri103]

personally I defend my dlind as little as possible. only when certain factors are combined and which encourage me to call. if for example my hand has a great defensive potential or that I realize that my opponent bet wide in cut-off and button. I avoid calling beyond a single opponent on the spot unless the odds are really good. in truth I think it is not really important to fold these blinds especially at the start and middle of the game. in general, I noticed that when you play tight and you have a good image at the table. serious players only bet against you when they have a good hand.

 

[johnny tigre]

Some players defend their blinds like its a duty to them to defend it.
For me it depends on what i am holding. If i hold crap i will not have second thoughts of folding even if im the BB.

 

[Dimission]

I only defend my blinds when the bet increases. In the beginning of a tournament you can only get greedy and give in to lucky players.

 

[NWPatriot]

Investing additional chips in a poor EV hand while you have the worst position possible, is not a good poker plan.

I don't think that defending our blinds just because we want to defend the chips we have invested is the right reason to play the hand. We all have to pay antes and we all have to pay the blinds, so every pot starts with the same amount of chips. Play the pots that have good EV prospects.

We do have a discount to continue, but a discount on 72off is irrelevent.

If an opponent is "relentlessly trying to steal" our blinds, then our frequencies are probably too tight and he is taking advantage of seemingly free chips in the middle. We do need to play enough hands to keep this in check.

So, in the end, ALWAYS play good poker. There are no other rules.

Good luck and God Bless