Small Blind

The Small Blind is one of the most challenging positions in poker. You have a partial investment in the pot (half a big blind), you act before the Big Blind preflop in heads-up pots, and you are out of position postflop against everyone except the BB. This combination of forced investment and positional disadvantage makes the SB a consistent money-losing seat. Small Blind preflop strategy in MTTs has two main components. First, when the action folds to you, you are in a heads-up confrontation with the Big Blind. In this spot, you can open-raise with a very wide range (40-50% of hands) because you only face one opponent. Your open size is typically larger (2.5x to 3x) to compensate for being out of position postflop. Second, many modern strategies incorporate a Small Blind limping range in addition to raising. Completing the small blind for just half a bet with hands that play well multiway or have good postflop potential is a legitimate strategy that reduces variance and exploits the favorable price. Facing an open-raise from another position, the Small Blind plays a tighter strategy. You can 3-bet with a polarized range (premiums and bluffs) or fold. Cold calling from the SB is generally discouraged because you are out of position, your range is capped, and the Big Blind can squeeze behind you. However, some strategies include a small SB calling range against late-position opens. As stacks get shorter, Small Blind strategy simplifies. At 20bb, your options narrow to raising, shoving, or folding. At 10bb, the SB is a pure push-fold position where you shove wide against the Big Blind because the half-blind already invested gives you a better price.