One consideration when playing from the small blind is the limit of the game and the size of the small blind. In most Texas Hold'em games the small blind is half the size of the minimum bet but there are some low limit games where they are less than half. In a $2 / $4 game the small blind is $1. In a $4/$8 game the small blind is $2.
In these games, to call from the small blind you will only be putting in a half of a bet. In this situation, with an unraised pot you can play a little looser. You can play all of the late position hands. You can also play hands that include any two suited cards, smaller suited unsuit-ed connectors or one gapped hands. In the small blind in an unraised pot you can also play any Ace or King. This does not mean that you would play a completely hopeless hand. A starting hand of deuce-7 off suit is still the worst hand in Hold'em whether you are in the small blind or not.
In the $3/$6 game the small blind is only $1 in most card-rooms. This means that you would have to put in two-thirds of a bet if you want to call. If this is the game you are playing, you should treat the small blind as if you were playing from late position. Just remember that you will have to act first after the flop. In a multiway pot you can also play small gapped hands.
Here is a quick reference for the small blind.
Hand Call—# Players If Raised
T-7s Call—5 or more Fold
9-6s Call—5 or more Fold
8-6s Call—5 or more Fold
7-5s Call—5 or more Fold
J-8 Call—5 or more Fold
T-8 Call—5 or more Fold
When I first started playing $3/$6 Texas Hold'em, I would routinely play almost all of the hands from the small blind. I soon discovered that this was eroding my session bankroll. In most cases, I would not hit the flop and I would have to check then fold. Many times I made only small pairs which would not hold up. Consider this, if the small blind is $1 and you fold your poor hands, you have saved $2. That money saved will cover your next two small blinds. In poker many times the money you save is as good as money you have won.
When the pot has been raised before you, don't think that you should immediately call just because you have a partial bet in the pot. In the $3/$6 game it will cost $5 to call a raise. Why would you want to invest $5 on a hand that you would not call a $3 bet with just because you already put $1 into the pot? With a raised pot, you should play the small blind as you would if you were playing from middle or late position.
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