Blind Steal
A blind steal is an opening raise, usually from late position and often with a weak hand, to win the blinds.
The simple explanation
A blind steal is a raise before the flop from late position, often with a weak hand, whose main purpose is to win the blinds and antes. When the action is folded to you on the button or the cutoff, only the two blinds can still stop your raise.
A closer look
Stealing works because the blinds are out of position and often fold. It is profitable when it succeeds often enough to cover the times a blind defends or re-raises. The best hands to steal with are those with some playability, such as suited cards and connectors, because they do well when called. Blinds respond by defending more widely or by 3-betting. If the steal is too frequent, it becomes easy to exploit.
A practical example
The button raises to 5 with a weak hand. Both blinds fold, and the button wins their chips.
Full explanation
A blind steal is an opening raise, usually from late position and often with a weak hand, to win the blinds.
A blind steal is an opening raise before the flop, usually from a late position and often with a weak hand. The goal is to win the blinds and the antes without having to proceed further in the hand.
It is most common on the button and in the cutoff, after all earlier players have folded. In these positions only the small blind and big blind remain to act, and they are likely to fold.
If a blind calls or re-raises, the stealer must decide whether to continue. A re-raise puts the stealer in a difficult spot with a weak hand.
Stealing and defending the blinds are two sides of the same strategic battle.
A blind steal
No-limit Hold’em · Blinds 1/2 chips · No rake
The blinds are 1 and 2 chips.
Read the full hand transcript
Player A has the button (BTN). Player B posts the 1-chip small blind (SB). Player C posts the 2-chip big blind (BB).
- Preflop · Pot: 3 chips
The blinds are 1 and 2 chips.
- Player A BTN 77 of spades (7s)22 of diamonds (2d) · Stack 200 · In this round 0
- Player B SB JJack of hearts (Jh)55 of clubs (5c) · Stack 199 · In this round 1
- Player C BB 99 of diamonds (9d)33 of hearts (3h) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Preflop · Pot: 8 chips
Player A has the button and raises to 5 with a weak hand, hoping the blinds will fold. This is a blind steal.
- Player A BTN 77 of spades (7s)22 of diamonds (2d) · Stack 195 · In this round 5
- Player B SB JJack of hearts (Jh)55 of clubs (5c) · Stack 199 · In this round 1
- Player C BB 99 of diamonds (9d)33 of hearts (3h) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Preflop · Pot: 8 chips
Player B folds the small blind.
- Player A BTN 77 of spades (7s)22 of diamonds (2d) · Stack 195 · In this round 5
- Player B SB JJack of hearts (Jh)55 of clubs (5c) · Stack 199 · In this round 1 · Folded
- Player C BB 99 of diamonds (9d)33 of hearts (3h) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Preflop · Pot: 5 chips
Player C folds the big blind. The uncalled part of Player A's raise returns, and Player A wins the blinds.
- Player A BTN 77 of spades (7s)22 of diamonds (2d) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Player B SB JJack of hearts (Jh)55 of clubs (5c) · Stack 199 · In this round 1 · Folded
- Player C BB 99 of diamonds (9d)33 of hearts (3h) · Stack 198 · In this round 2 · Folded
Cards are shown for learning; totals are displayed before pot collection.