Playing from the Big Blind

Having to commit chips to the pot before you even get your cards is not the luckiest thing in the world and being the big blind does put you at a disadvantage when compared to the rest of the players at the table. With that said, there are many advantages that the big blind can offer a savvy player with a little luck and some seriously skillful play.

The bad news is that when you are the big blind you already have your money on the table before your cards even are dealt and, chances are, they are not going to be good enough that you would have called with them. Unfortunately, you already have your chips in the middle so you get to sit and watch the other players act. There are a few positive ways to look at the position you are in. The first is that in two hands you are going to be on the button and another is that you can use the blind to shield yourself. The strength of your hand is masked because you were already in the pot when you were dealt your cards so, from the perspective of other players at the table, you could be holding any two cards and they would have no idea. As such, you could be dealt an absolute monster and no one else will know unless you give them that sort of information by making a big raise. While using the shield when you have good hands is good, it serves greatly in another capacity.

Being able to check to the flop at Poker Star is one of the most underrated options that you are afforded as the big blind. Playing from the big blind gives you the option to play completely speculative and bad hands and these are the hands that make the big money and get paid out. This is where you can play that seven deuce offsuit and the flop is 7 7 2 and you get paid out. Things like this almost never happen from other positions because the speculative hand or bad hand should be folded but in the big blind, you can often just check to the flop and that is where these hands can pay off.

The big blind does put the player at an inherent disadvantage but that does not mean the position cannot be used beneficially. It offers the player with a shield against other players having any idea what two cards he or she is holding. In addition, being able to check to the flop with speculative and bad hands creates situations where you can get paid off massively.