Some coaches suggest to only 4bet or fold to a 3bet when in the small blind facing an active 3bettor in the big blind. Let's say we raise KQ and a reg with 15% blind vs blind resteal triples our raise, sure we have an equity advantage but our position and lack of initiative makes it very hard to make turn it into a +EV situation since we are gonna miss 2/3 of the time and end up check/folding way too often.

i recently watched a coaching video which suggested to handle this situation with an aggro reg in the big blind first by tightening up to maybe 25% opening range. Secondly, widening our value 4bet/stack off range (perhaps TT+, AQs, AK) and widening our 4bet bluff range to include a lot of blockers (A2s-AJs, AQo, KJ, KQ)

another reason they gave not to have a calling range is that if you did have a range it will be typically be capped and transparent (usually something like 99-JJ, AQ, KQs, AJs) and hence if villain is competent he can read us very easily postflop and make relatively accurate decisions against our range. uncapping our range by flatting monsters is one way to adjust this but who really wants to flat AA OOP blind vs blind?

so what do you guys think about the suggested strategies and what's your thoughts on blind vs blind resteal play?

Just be tighter from the SB when BB is an addicted steeler. Will adjust my range to AQs+JJ+ and 4bet/stack off against him. Calling 3bets OOP is terrible because you have to mostly play fit or fold and would end up c/f ing most flops.

do you always 3-bet or fold when they steal your blind? probably not , optimal poker should include a flatting range for these spots , 4-bet or fold might be an easier option to pick but its not absolute , same goes for reducing your opening range.


You can pull a lot of plays postflop , probe betting or donk betting , since you will have some value hands postflop then you can also have bluffs and the way you will decide to play them you want it be similar to your value hands , what hands to choose as bluffs depends on your range and the value hands you will have postflop.

If villain is very aggro you may choose not to bluff at all but slowplay everything , your implied odds goes up.


Middle hands like KQ or AJ even when they miss will usually block a lot of stuff which means there is a higher chance for villain to be in the bottom of his range something you can exploit by pulling some plays.

Im not saying to change your playstyle but i think its incorrect to discount other ways.

On Summoner's idea of "take it on a case-by-case basis". Limp/calling shouldn't be out of the question.

If you know the opponent in BB is 3betting AXss, 77+, KTo+,Qto+ ATo+ ect. I think calling with a hand like KQ does really well OOP against that range.

Having a capped range has its downsides but its still good to have one.

Yes.

You will have hands in your range that are too strong to r/f, too strong to 4b/f and too weak to 4b/c. Those hands are excellent hands to r/c with.