Laying off Calls From the Small Blind in Limit Poker
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One of the most persistent leaks for newer limit hold ‘em poker players [and even some intermediate ones] is calling too much from the small blind. The thing about this leak is that it’s a sneaky one - it generally happens a half a bet at a time. But limit is a long term game, and over the course of just a few sessions, this leak can cost you significantly. Some things to think about before you call on the SB:
1) Is that A with a weak kicker really worth it? A trap hand is still a trap hand regardless of how much you pay for it pre-flop. Calling with A8o on the SB with three or more callers in before you is asking for trouble - even if you flop your miracle two pair, you’re still looking at a possible trap since you’ll most commonly flop split two pair. This is the real leak of calling from the SB - not only the 1/2 bet to call, but all the bets you put in when you catch a piece of the flop with a marginal hand and don’t release.
2) Is that low suited connector worth calling a raise with? Sure if a raise comes early and 5 people in front of you call you can justify calling another bet and a half with 98s. But if the raise comes late and you’re looking at a 3 or 4 way pot, you’re not getting the odds. The hand may look pretty, but it just doesn’t pay in the long run.
3) Are you ready to play weak cards out of position for the entire hand? You can justify some marginal calls on the button because of your strong position, but the SB is the worst position possible. In my opinion, the position is worth more than the 1/2 bet discount you get calling from the SB.
