The small blind offers half the discount with more problems
We’ve covered how to defend your big blind and what to do after the flop. The big blind came with a coupon—a real discount on seeing flops—which meant you could profitably call with more hands than usual.
Now it’s time to tackle the small blind, which comes with a much worse coupon. You’ve only paid half a big blind instead of a full big blind, but you still have terrible position after the flop. Worse yet, the big blind can still raise behind you, forcing you to pay more or fold and lose your initial investment entirely.
This combination—worse discount, no guarantee of seeing a flop, same terrible position—means the small blind requires much tighter play than the big blind.
The Streaming Service Trap
Think of the small blind like getting a discount on your streaming service—but with major catches compared to your roommate (the big blind):
- Smaller discount: You get a small discount, but your roommate gets an even better deal (full blind = bigger discount).
- Surge pricing risk: The service can charge you extra during peak hours if other subscribers (raisers) show interest in the same content.
- No control: Other subscribers vote on what shows are available, and they keep changing the lineup before you even see the schedule. You’re always reacting to everyone else’s choices with outdated information.
Your roommate has the better deal: bigger discount, guaranteed price, same lack of control. That’s why the small blind requires tighter play—you’re getting a worse version of an already mediocre deal.
The Small Blind Reality Check
Here’s the truth about the small blind: you’re supposed to fold most of your hands. That’s not a bug, it’s a feature.
Think about our last tournament. Who busted in the first hour? Usually the players who kept “seeing what happens” with weak hands from bad positions. Who made the final table? The players who saved their chips for spots where they actually had an edge.
Every time you fold J7o from the small blind to a raise, you save 1.5 big blinds. That doesn’t sound like much—until you realize that 10 disciplined folds = 15BB saved = the difference between having a workable stack at the final table or being desperate and shoving with any two cards.
The secret: Folding often from the small blind isn’t boring—it’s how you stay alive to play the fun hands when you actually have position and cards. The players having the most fun at the end of the night? They’re the ones who played tight from the small blind.
A Note on This Guide
In future strategy tips, we’ll introduce a more detailed way of thinking about hand types and exactly which hands to play from each position. But for now, we’re keeping things deliberately simple and general.
The recommendations in this article aren’t perfect—I’ve intentionally prioritized simplicity over precision, grouped similar situations together, and focused on memorable rules rather than nuanced ranges. Once these basics become second nature, we can add more sophistication.
Your Small Blind Decision Guide
Step 1: Has someone raised before you?
YES → Play selectively (only 20-30% of hands)
Someone has claimed to have a good hand, so you need a good hand too. Stick to:
- All pairs (22-AA)
- Broadways (both cards Ten or higher: AQ, KQ, QT, etc., suited or offsuit)
- Suited Aces (A♠️2♠️ through A♠️K♠️)
- Suited connectors (cards next to each other in the same suit: 7❤️6❤️, 8♣️7♣️, 9♦️8♦️, etc.)
NO → Play much wider (about 50% of hands)
If everyone folded to you OR if players just limped (called the minimum), you can play many more hands:
Add all of these to the hands listed above:
- Any Ace (even A♠️7❤️, A♦️3♣️, etc.)
- Hands where the lowest card is an 8 or 9 (like K♦️9♠️, Q♣️8❤️, J❤️8♦️)
- Suited hands with a King, Queen, or Jack (K❤️7❤️, Q♣️5♣️, J♦️4♦️)
- Suited hands that can flop a straight (hands with 3 gaps or less between the cards: J♦️9♦️, T♣️7♣️, 9♠️5♠️)
Step 2: Should I raise or just call?
If everyone folded to you → ALWAYS raise every hand you play
Remember our raise-or-fold article? The same logic applies here. Don’t limp—raise every hand.
If other players are in the pot → Use this guide:
| Hand Type | Against a Raise | In Unraised Pot | If Playing, Raise? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big pairs (99-AA) | ✅ Play | ✅ Play | ✅ YES – 3-bet/raise |
| Small pairs (22-88) | ✅ Play | ✅ Play | ❌ No – call |
| Suited broadways (AKs, AQs, KQs, etc.) | ✅ Play | ✅ Play | ✅ YES – 3-bet/raise |
| Suited Aces (A2s-A9s) | ✅ Play | ✅ Play | ❌ No – call |
| Suited K/Q/J (K9s, Q7s, J5s, etc.) | ❌ Fold | ✅ Play | ❌ No – call |
| Suited connectors (76s, 87s, 98s, etc.) | ✅ Play | ✅ Play | ❌ No – call |
| Suited 1-gappers, 2-gappers, and 3-gappers (97s, J8s, 95s, etc.) | ❌ Fold | ✅ Play | ❌ No – call |
| Other suited hands | ❌ Fold | ❌ Fold | — |
| Offsuit broadways (AK, AQ, KQ, KJ, etc.) | ✅ Play | ✅ Play | ✅ YES – 3-bet/raise |
| Offsuit Aces (A9o, A7o, A3o, etc.) | ❌ Fold | ✅ Play | ❌ No – call |
| Offsuit 8/9-low (K9o, Q8o, T9o, etc.) | ❌ Fold | ✅ Play | ❌ No – call |
| All other offsuit | ❌ Fold | ❌ Fold | — |
Simple logic: Is your hand strong right now (like a pair of 9s or better) or likely to make top pair with high cards (like broadway hands)? Then raise to build a pot you can likely win. Is your hand more speculative (hoping to dramatically improve on the flop, like small pairs or suited cards that need to hit)? Then just call and see a cheap flop.
How Much to Raise
If folded to you: 3BB
Against limpers: 3BB + 1BB per limper
- Two limpers → raise to 5BB
- Three limpers → raise to 6BB
Against a raise: 3-4× their raise
- They raised to 2BB → you raise to 6-8BB
What If You Call and the Big Blind Raises?
This will happen sometimes—you call from the small blind (either calling a raise or limping when others have limped) with a speculative hand, and the BB raises behind you. Now what?
Simple rule: Fold almost everything.
Remember why you called? You had a speculative hand (small pair, suited connector, suited ace) that wanted to see a cheap flop. The BB just made it expensive—claiming to have a good hand after multiple players already entered the pot—and you’re still out of position.
Fold:
- Small pairs (unless the raise is tiny and you’re getting great odds)
- Suited connectors
- Weak suited aces (A5s, A4s, A3s, A2s)
- Any offsuit hand
Consider calling (rarely):
- Medium pairs (66-88) if the raise is small and you’re getting good odds
- Strong suited hands (ATs, KTs, KJs) against small raises
3-bet (almost never):
- If you called with a big pair or strong broadway planning to trap, now’s your moment
The key: You wanted cheap, now it’s expensive. Don’t throw good money after bad.
After the Flop from the Small Blind
Post-flop play from the small blind is similar to big blind post-flop play—same bad position, same principles.
The main difference: you should have fewer speculative hands in your range because you folded more pre-flop. This actually makes your decisions easier.
For more post-flop guidance, refer back to our big blind post-flop article.
Quick Examples (Common Mistakes to Avoid)
Example 1 – The Sunk Cost Trap
BTN raises to 2BB → you (SB) Q♦️9♣️
What most players do: “I’m getting good odds, I should call”
What you should do: Fold (weak offsuit hand—not in our playable range against a raise)
Example 2 – Don’t Just Call Your Strong Hands
Three limpers → you (SB) J♠️J♣️
What most players do: Complete for 0.5BB to “see what happens”
What you should do: Raise to 6BB (3BB + 1BB per limper). Build the pot with your big pairs!
Example 3 – Know When to Fold
Two limpers → you (SB) J♠️6♦️
What most players do: “It’s only one more chip, let me see what happens”
What you should do: Fold (weak offsuit without an Ace, and the J is below our 8-or-higher rule)
Example 4 – Always Raise When Folded To
Folded to you (SB) K♦️T♣️
What most players do: Complete to 1BB
What you should do: Raise to 3BB (when folded to you, always raise—never limp)
Takeaway Challenge (for Our Next Game)
Practice disciplined folding against raises. The next time someone raises and you’re in the small blind with a weak offsuit hand (like K8o, Q9o, J7o), just fold. Track how many chips you save by not throwing good money after bad.
Always raise when folded to you. When everyone folds to the small blind, never limp—always raise to 3BB. This applies with every single hand you decide to play.
Raise your big pairs and broadways. When you have a big pair (99+) or broadway hand, don’t just call—raise or 3-bet to build the pot.
What’s Next?
We’ve covered both blinds—the most challenging positions at the table. Next, we’ll tackle short-stack survival: what to do when your stack gets short and conventional poker goes out the window. It’s time to learn the art of push-or-fold poker.