The small blind is the worst position on the poker table. Still, with smart play, you can manage to lose the least if you properly defend the small blind.
We’ve broken the right poker strategy about playing the SB into this 3 step guide for defending your small blind
Step 1: By default, don’t defend the small blind with flats
Remember when learning to defend the small blind: you will be out of position for the entire rest of the hand. For this reason, you do not want to play deep pots without initiative.
Initiative generally gives you more capacity for aggressive play and a stronger range. Shallower pots neutralize some of the advantage of position.
But most importantly, flatting the small blind opens up the big blind to pound you with squeezes.
Since you will have flatted and not 3bet, he will know your range is weaker. He can then essentially 3bet relentlessly against you and the button when the best you can do is flat his raise.
Flatting the small blind with an aggressive BB to act is like dropping the soap next to this guy in a prison shower.
Step 2: 3bet a depolarized range
The small blind, unlike other positions, should 3bet a depolarized range.
This is because you don’t have a calling range, so your 3bet bluff (folds to 4bet) and 3bet value (continues to 4bet) are continuous. There is no calling range in the middle that chooses to flat.
A good guideline is to 3bet roughly 30% of your opponent’s opening range to 3.5-4x the open size.
| Villain Open Range | Villain Open Size | SB 3bet Range | SB 3bet size | Sample Hand Range |
| Tight CO (20%) | 3bb | 6% | 11-12BB | 88+,ATs+,KQs,AQo+ |
| Loose CO (30%) | 2.5bb | 10% | 9-10BB | 77+,A9s+,KTs+,QTs+,AJo+,KQo |
| Tight BU (45%) | 2bb | 14% | 7-8BB | 77+,A2s+,KJs+,QTs+,JTs,ATo+,KJo+ |
| Loose BU (65%) | 2bb | 20% | 7-8BB | 55+,A2s+,K9s+,QTs+,J9s+,T9s,A9o+,KTo+,QTo+ |
Don’t forget: just like when defending the BB, I want you to look for good occasions to make a squeeze play against CO and BU. In general, you will want to do this against looser opponents for value if they call too wide, and as a bluff if they fold too much.
Step 3: Okay, sometimes flatting the SB is good
So, step 1 wasn’t totally true. You can occasionally defend the small blind with a flat.
As a default, you definitely want to 3bet or fold in the SB. However, there are some specific circumstances where you might consider flatting:
- The BB is not aggressive and thus not likely to squeeze or isolate-raise
- The opener is a very nitty UTG against whose opening range 3betting makes no sense because:
- 3betting for value is such a small range that you end up playing your range face up
- 3betting for bluff doesn’t make sense since he doesn’t raise many weak hands UTG
- You hold a speculative hand like a weak pocket pair, suited connector or weak suited face card.
- The table has limped around to you and you only need to complete your SB for a chance to flop the nuts
Step 4: Cold 4bet instead of flatting 3bets
Here’s a scenario:
CO (wide opener of 35% range) opens to 2.5x. BU (wide 3better of 12%) 3bets him to 8bb. You look down at AQo.
This is a great spot to think about a cold 4bet. Even if you may not be ahead of villain’s continuing range:
- CO is opening wide and is likely to fold a lot to mere 3bets, let alone your 4bet.
- BU probably knows this, and is 3betting a wide range as bluffs.
- Cold 4-bets in general carry a ton of fold equity
- You block AA, AK and AQ
Conclusions
When planning to defend the SB, you want to always err on the side of aggression. 3bet rather than flat. Squeeze rather than overcall. 4bet rather than flat 3bets.
The information contained in this guide should be an excellent set of first steps to being an excellent SB defender at the lowstakes level or below.
