When the button moves around the table you will find yourself from time to time two places to the dealers left. That means it is time for you to post the Big Blind. The Big blind is usually equal to one minimum bet. The blinds in Texas Holdem are a mechanism to build the pot. Without them there would be, "Check,Check,Check,Check,Check," heard from around the table on every hand. Why pay anything to see the flop if you don't have to?
Playing from the Big Blind can be trying. Although you already a minimum bet in the hand you should be cautious calling a pre flop raise. If the blind is $5.00 you should not think of it as costing you five dollars and start thinking, "In for a penny. In for a pound. Rather think of the money that you are forced to post into the blinds as an average fee that you are paying for playing all the hands dealt to you. So instead of thinking of it as posting $5.00 for one hand. Divide it by ten(Or the Number of Players) and think of it as fifty cents. You are a lot less likely to call a raise with a poor hand if you are only defending fifty cents.
Since in the Big Blind you are the first to bet. You will be the last to call a raise, if any. That gives you time to watch the table and see who is calling and raising. Take a long hard look at the pot. How much money is in it? Would you call the raise if you were sitting on the button? Be careful not to over estimate the strength of your hand. First, if it does not add up to 30 or 21, Second, if it is not a small pair, and third if it is not at least suited use your judgment and incorporate what you know about the players at the table. Is the guy who raised, the type who raises the blind every time or almost every time? or is he a tight player who bets only premium hands?
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