There will be times when all the players fold and the players in the blinds are the only ones left to act. In this situation there is an option called "chopping" which is allowed in most cardrooms. Chopping entails the big and small blinds folding their hands and taking back their blind bets. The hand is over, the button is moved and the next hand begins. Chopping is a personal decision that you must make. I have heard arguments on both sides as to whether or not a player should or should not chop. Some players always chop, while other players never chop.

The argument for chopping in a low-limit game is that there is not enough money with just the blinds to make it worthwhile to play out the hand. In a $3/$6 game there is only $4 in the pot. There is only $3 in a $2/$4 game. Some players feel that this is not worth the time or the risk to play the hand out.

There are some players, however, who never chop. Players who regularly play tournaments don't like to chop in live games because they feel that this heads up play will give them experience when they make it to the final table in a tournament. This is a valid point on their part.

Whether you decide to chop or not, you should stick with your choice for the entire session. I was playing in a game and one player chopped the pot on two occasions and then the third time he announced that he didn't want to chop this time and wanted to play it out. The big blind reminded him that he chopped on the two previous occasions and the player said he did not care and didn't want to chop this time. The big blind did not say another word about it but, instead of the folding as the small blind had hoped for, he raised. The small blind reraised and the big blind called.

The flop was all small, unsuited cards, and the small blind bet and the big blind called. Another small card came on the turn, and this time, when the small blind bet, his opponent raised him. Looking at the board cards the small blind reraised and the big blind called again. The river card again was small and no help. There were no straight or flush possibilities and the small blind bet and was raised. This time he just called. The big blind turned over pocket Aces. The small blind reluctantly showed his pocket Kings. Instead of stealing the $3 from the big blind, it had cost him a few dollars because he demanded to play the hand out.

Most of the players at the table felt that the small blind should have chopped this time since he had done so on the other occasions. They felt it was bad etiquette on his part to demand that the hand be played out. All of the players, with the exception of the small blind, were quite pleased with the outcome of the hand. They thought he was a poor sport for refusing to chop in this situation.

• Small Poker Blind (0)
• Poker Blinds (0)
• Poker And Gappers (0)

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.

• Poker Chopping (0)
• Poker Blinds (0)
• Poker And Gappers (0)

In an unraised pot playing the big blind is easy. You have a free ride. You have already made a bet so you only need to consider whether you want to raise or merely check your blind bet. In most cases you will probably want to just check. The reason for not raising with a strong hand is for deception. When a player raises from the big blind he is announcing to everyone that he has a powerful hand. You may find that you will not get too much action after the flop. If there are only one or two players, then you might consider raising to get more money in the pot, but you might be better off just calling and then trying a check raise after the flop.

If the pot has been raised, you need to determine where the raise came from and who made it. If the raise was made from a tight player in early position, you can pretty much determine that you are up against a strong hand. If a reraise occurs before it is your turn to act, you should not call unless you have a powerful hand of your own. If, however, the raise has been made from late position when no one else has entered the pot, you may be up against a player trying to steal and should treat it as such.

In a raised pot from the big blind with two or more players, you can call a raise with any pair, connectors, suited Ace or other middle position hands. Don't call a raise with a hand like J-2 or Q-5 or other hopeless hands. You want to defend your blind only if you have a chance of winning the pot not because you have already put one bet in.

• Poker – Ace Any (0)
• Small Poker Blind (0)
• Poker Chopping (0)

The blinds have the advantage of being in late position before the flop but the disadvantage of being in early position after the flop. Many players feel that because they put money in for the blinds that they must defend the blinds no matter what starting cards they hold. They will routinely call all raises, even with hands that they would not play from any other position. You must realize that once you put the money for the blinds into the pot, it is no longer your money.

It belongs to whoever eventually wins the pot. Many players lose a lot of money from misplaying hands when they are in the blinds. In a ten-handed game, the blinds will account for 2/10 of your total hands. Playing every hand without regard to the action in front of you is no better than playing with the "any two cards can win attitude," which is essentially what you are doing There are instances where you will want to defend your big blind against aggressive players who you know are just trying to steal your blinds.

If other players discover that you do not always defend your blinds, they may just start making a positional raise every time you are in the blinds. This can be frustrating, but in many cases you can get the player to back down. To do this you must wait for a playable hand. Then, when the aggressor tries for a steal by raising the pot, you will re-raise him. In most cases a player will only try for a steal from late position when no one else has entered the pot This means that you will most likely be heads up with this player Since you will be the first to act after the flop you must come out betting. Unless the flop hits the other player he will usually fold and then think twice about attempting a steal in the future.

• Small Poker Blind (0)
• Poker Chopping (0)
• Poker And Gappers (0)

Q-8s, J-8s, T-8sf 9-7s and K-9, Q-9, J-9
When your starting two cards have a gap between them, it will make it even more difficult to make a straight. When the hand contains cards with values Ten and below I will rarely play them with more than one gap unless I am in the small blind. The hands containing one big card with two gaps are playable but with caution as they are marginal at best.

The suited gappers will give you the added potential for making a flush. Since you are playing these hands in multi-way pots with five or more players, the other hands can present trouble if you only pair one of the cards. If the flop contains big cards you will have a weak kicker with Kings, Queens, or Jacks. If you pair your 9 or 8 it will probably not hold up against a large field.

While playing in late position gives you the opportunity to
Here is a quick reference for late position.

Hand Call—# Players If Raised
6-6 Call—5 or more Call 1 raise—6 or more
5-5 Call—5 or more Call 1 raise—6 or more
4-4 Call—5 or more Call 1 raise—6 or more
3-3 Call—5 or more Call 1 raise—6 or more
2-2 Call—5 or more Call 1 raise—6 or more
A-6s Call—5 or more Call 1 raise—6 or more
A-5s Call—5 or more Call 1 raise—6 or more
A-4s Call—5 or more Call 1 raise—6 or more
A-3s Call—5 or more Call 1 raise—6 or more
A-2s Call—5 or more Call 1 raise—6 or more
K-8s Call—5 or more Fold
K-7s Call—5 or more Fold
K-6s Call—5 or more Fold
K-5s Call—5 or more Fold
K-4s Call—5 or more Fold
K-3s Call—5 or more Fold
K-2s Call—5 or more Fold
Q-8s Call—5 or more Fold
J-8s Call—5 or more Fold
T-8s Call—5 or more Fold
9-7s Call—5 or more Fold
8-7s Call—5 or more Fold
7-6s Call—5 or more Fold
6-5s Call—5 or more Fold
5-4s Call—5 or more Fold
A-9 Call—5 or more Fold
A-8 Call—5 or more Fold
A-7 Call—5 or more Fold
K-9 Call—5 or more Fold
Q-9 Call—5 or more Fold
J-9 Call—5 or more Fold
T-9 Call—5 or more Fold
9-8 Call—5 or more Fold
8-7 Call—5 or more Fold

• Poker – Ace Any (0)
• Small Poker Blind (0)
• Poker Chopping (0)

K-8s through K-2s
Suited cards with Kings play very similar to the Ace-suited hands. Your odds of making a flush are the same but you will not have the nuts if you do make it. (The nuts is the best hand possible.) In the case of a flush, anyone holding the Ace will beat you with the nut flush. Keep in mind, however, that one-third of the time you make a flush, the Ace will be on the board and you will have the nuts.

Connectors
8-7s, 7-6s, 6-5s, 5-4s and T-9r 9-8, 8-7
Little connectors can become powerful hands if the flop hits you. You are looking for a straight, or a straight draw, if the cards are unsuited, and the additional flush or flush draw with the suited connectors. Since many players will continue playing big overcards when the flop contains all small cards, it is possible to build a big pot. Since the value of these hands is dependent on the flop, it is important that you get in cheaply and release them quickly if the hand does not develop. These hands do not develop often, so you want to make sure that you have many players in the pot to make it worthwhile. Never play these hands against fewer than five players.

• Small Poker Blind (0)
• Poker Chopping (0)
• Poker Blinds (0)

A-6sr A-2s and A-9, A-8, A-7
You can play any suited Ace in late position with enough callers. If you flop a flush, you will have the nut flush or you may flop a nut flush draw. You will only make a flush about six percent of the time, which means that these hands can be trouble. As with the middle position suited-Ace hands, you can be in trouble if an Ace appears on the flop, unless you make two pairs. You will have a very weak kicker. If you pair your kicker you will more than likely get beat with an overpair. You can play unsuited Ace 9, 8, or 7 as long as there are no raises in front of you. Again, these hands usually spell trouble if an Ace flops. You need to flop two pair to be secure. If you don't, you may find yourself in the same trouble as the suited Ace hands.

• Poker And Gappers (0)
• Big Poker Blind (0)
• Small Poker Blind (0)