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Small Blind Defense

Question
I've heard that you should basically be playing the same hands from the small blind that you would play from the button in the same situation and just wanted your thoughts on this.

Answer
I've heard that too, and I think that's a bad way to approach the small blind in limit Texas hold ‘em. In a multi way pot there's no way that the button is worth ½ of a small bet. It's valuable, but no way is it THAT valuable. As long as three other players will be seeing the flop I'll play any two suited cards and any ace from the small blind. If the number of players seeing the flop increases to five I'll add all offsuit connectors except for 23 and 34. As more players enter the fray I mix in some offsuit two gapers like 46, 57 and 68. As long as you're not playing total trash in the small blind (Qx ofsuit, etc.) I think you make money from most of these marginal hands, so long as you're not the type of player who blindly chases with bottom pair all the way to the river.

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