Facing a Raise in the Small Blind at a Loose FL Hold'em Game

The recomendations are to play the same hands as in early- and middle position against a raise. The motivation to play the hands out of the small blind against a raise is not the same though.

The samll blind has already put in a little bit of money into the pot before the cards are dealt, but not a full small bet, only half a small bet. The small blind has to act first for the remainder of the hand, the small blind has to react first to the cards that hit the board.

The hands added to late position against a raise all abuse the positional advantage. Partially hitting the flop with a speculative hand from up front is tricky. Holding 8 7 and flopping a gut shot straight draw combined with a backdoor flush draw is two different stories when you have to act first and when you can react as the last player. The hands added in late position abuse the situation to a degree that the rake rebate from the small blind does not make up for it. From the small blind, suited aces and suited connecors sholud be mucked against a raise.

The same principal makes re-raising with 99 and AQo inappropriate. Another reason to refrain form re-raising is that only the big blind and perhaps another player between you and the original raiser will consider folding. The most likely event is a large multiway pot, where you lack control and are sitting with an easily dominated hand.

One important concept to remeber is: blinds belongs to the pot. With a raise, and bad position, only the hands included in the diagram stands the heat. Note that all pocket pairs are included in the graphics. Reading the flop in a large pot with low pocket pairs is easy, the help from other players reactions is not necessary. Will you flop a set or not? Somewhat simplified against a large field pocket pairs after the flop are: either garbage or a gold mine in a loose game.