| Blindstealing is a very complex subject, but I'm just going to post some basic things you need to remember when stealing.
1. Position
Normally you should only steal from late position, f.ex. the cutoff, the button etc... By doing this there are less people left involved who might have a legitemate hand to play back at you.
2. Image
If you have a tight tableimage you will often be able to steal blinds easier than if you have a loose/agressive image. But remember, if you suddenly start playing really loose after playing like a rock earlier, your opponents will spot it and play back at you.
3. The table
It's important to realize how the other players at the table play. If the table is very tight it can often be a lot easier to steal blinds than at a loose table where there is a lot more action.
4. The action behind you
Normally you should only steal when it's folded around to you. Of course there are a lot of different plays you can do (different squeezeplayes f.ex.) but since I'm only covering the very basic blindstealing strategy in this post I will not involve these plays.
5. Your stack and your opponents stack
Normally you should try to steal blinds from players that are playing tight or have small stacks (though not too small). It's generally not a good idea to try to bully the chipleader as he has a lot of chips to play with and can easilly put the preassure back on you.
6. The stage of the tournament
Early on in a tournament it's generally not good to steal, seeing as the risk isn't wort the reward. The deeper you get the more you should try to steal and accumulate chips. A good time to do so is at the bubble where many shortstacks are just trying to fold their way into the money.
These tips are meant for beginners that aren't really familliar with the term "blindstealing", and only cover the very basics of the subject.  |