3 Big Blind Defense Lessons You Can Use Today

[@trumanfraser150]

Some of the best content on the internet is simple well explained and seam to hear your voice giving me good advice when playing ...really appreciate the channel

[@ThePokerBank]

Cheers, and thank you so much for your kind words =)

[@robertblair7698]

A follow-up to below comment. I play in Texas. Opening is slightly wider than many other areas in $1-$2. Also, it is rare to see pre flop with just 2 players. Typically, on a full ring, you will have 3 callers on a 4 or 5 BB bet. Rare to defend the BB against 1 bettor in the CO or Button.

[@EricA-xd9fn]

I concur. Opening 2x, 3x in cash-games in Texas will get you "squeezed" by a 5x raise nearly HALF the time.

[@divided_and_conquered1854]

Yeah but five BB's is only a lousy ten bucks. It's no wonder you get 37 and a half callers....you need to bet 15 to 20 BB's pre-flop to maybe get it down to one or two opponents post-flop. Cheers.

[@ekw555]

@4:14 - VERY interesting that the increase of 1BB in open raise/steal size generates more than twice as many folds. (or should)

[@ThePokerBank]

Right!

[@peterzerfass4609]

Since you're required to put in twice as much to call (2BB vs a raise to 3BB as opposed to 1BB vs a minraise) I don't find this surprising.

[@kibspoker]

Thank you so much for this. Finally understand what they mean by defend (in BB).

[@CPMax205]

Really enjoyed your 3 bet density concept. Would love to see a video on how this 3bet density changes as positions do.

[@loose4bet]

The optimal defend range is dependent both on the open raise size and the open raise range. The defend strategy will be very different if the initial raiser opens with 30%, 50% or 80% of hands from the button assuming the same raise size.

[@okiepokertraveler1718]

This is assuming you have no information on the OP in the button. Of course you would change these values based on player profile, but you won't really know a player's profile until you've seen them play a quantity of hands. So, basically, you're looking at an optimal strategy here, not an exploitative one, which you are inferring.

[@PaddyRoon7]

This is incredible, I would never have guessed that calling K4o 100% of the time is optimal lol

[@EricSmyth2Christ]

You’re very late to the party haha I call any two with antes in no rake structure because of skill edge I would suggest %90 vpip to small sizes if you’re better than the other players It also may help you get paid on a random river on some other random hand in the future (it makes you seen loose, folding makes you look really tight)

[@ThePokerBank]

It does make the assumption of perfect postflop play too fwiw =)

[@martymerigold8296]

@@EricSmyth2Christ lmaooo

[@EricSmyth2Christ]

@@martymerigold8296 when you get 3:1 pre flop you really can play atc and make a lot of money, even if you aren’t that good post flop Take a look at flopzilla and ask yourself how much money you plan on making when you flop 2 pair or better You will at least get the c-bet, but often you can multiple streets of value It’s worth it

[@slow3131]

was excited for this content! and it delivered! thanks for the great poker strategy sessions

[@ThePokerBank]

You're very welcome slow!

[@TheMarceloSilva]

Brake even EV from the Big Blind formula: Heads Up ranges "call" Broadways and any 2 cards suited with straight possibilities, 3bet the top of the villain Range with sprinkles bluffs from the bottom range Multi Way non 3bet pots, Call the top of the range of the first in villain , mini 3bet suited connectors and AA,KK,QQ,AK, if the villains 4bet fold everything but AA,KK,QQ,AK . If the villains just call c-bet 3/4 pot on flops 1high card like (Ts7s3d) check/fold , on flop 2 high cards like (KsJs4d) check/fold if missed, c-bet 1/3 pot if you hit the flop hard like 2pair+ or open ended flush draws here a example: EP open 2.2b - CO Call - Hero BB 7s6s 3bet to 3.8b so they can't fold yet, pot = 8.1b Flop Td4s2h Hero bets 6.7b the EP will fold because has a player behind, the CO will fold even QT,JT, because they will put on a over pair or set, if any of them continues on the hand check/fold turn and/or river less the 2 pair Multi way 3bet pots , cold call KK,QQ,KQs,AQs - 4bet AA,AK,JJ,TT - fold everything else

[@jonathantolan3503]

Really interesting! I guess larger bet sizes make the 1bb you've already paid less significant so you tend to 3 bet more due to being out of position postfloo

[@slowfuse]

so...fold bad hands, call with average hands and raise with good hands... Thank you neural nets, very cool. Technology, folks.

[@humanze]

This was eye opening for me. Great lesson!! Suscribed!

[@ThePokerBank]

Cheers, and welcome!

[@EricA-xd9fn]

James "Mathy" Sweeney strikes again! His "Meta" point is valid: If you open, don't use 2x, 3x sizing (unless purposefully trapping with AA, KK, QQ). If your there to gamble, sure 2x, 3x...but know your opponents will "defend" with nearly every type of holding. Makes hand-reading nearly impossible.

[@djalextnt]

Nice Content Mr. Sweeney! Now to wrap this up we would only need to cover BB Defense vs UTG, MP, HJ and CO Ranges ! :)

[@tomasdirocco]

This seems very interesting. It makes me think about minumun frecquencies postflop

[@cosmosgato]

Love the 70s action film backing track 🙂

[@martinpier2073]

Great woprk. Thx James. Greetings again from Germany.

[@ThePokerBank]

Cheers Martin!

[@mr.bubble6572]

I'm thankful for all of the content you have provided over the years. One thing I cannot get past is the Hendon Mob Stats. It's saying the only Cash you have in a tournament was in 2007 for about $1,200. If you have so much knowledge in poker why do you only have one stat to show for it? This isn't an attack on you or anything I'm just trying to understand. Edit: I do enjoy the videos and have found the math made fairly simple to understand and implement so thanks for that!!!

[@omarfromthewire603]

Cash games and MTTs are 2 different worlds

[@mr.bubble6572]

@@omarfromthewire603 I'm sure he has played a lot and probably mostly cash games but I'd be willing to bet he has played a decent amount of tournaments as well.

[@ThePokerBank]

You would lose that bet =)

[@mr.bubble6572]

@@ThePokerBank “It happens”

[@sunnyday9159]

That’s the one thing that I dislike about Sweeny; he talks lots of technical poker jargon but you don’t ever see him in any big tournaments or even live cash streams against other high level players. I’m actually not sure Sweeney is a high level player; I’m sure and confident I could bet him headup. Sweeney!!! stop being a keyboard warrior, leave the books and GTO for a moment and come meet real life high level poker players to test your skills.❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@rubberroast1598]

I have a difficult time when widening these hand ranges too much, either the 3 bet or calling ones, and then do not have the skill set yet to navigate postflop out of position with marginal holdings. Assume this will put you in tricky situations more often than not

[@Chino-bk9fd]

u need to move up to where they respek your raises

[@ThePokerBank]

That's a very legit reason to both a.) study these spots more between sessions and b.) tighten up your defense until you feel more competent postflop with wider ranges

[@thierryfallingstar]

thx James. very interesting video

[@ThePokerBank]

Cheers!

[@broheme8922]

Curious if neural nets and solvers any changes to 3bet sizing as the button sizing changes from 2x thru 5x.

[@ThePokerBank]

At least for solvers, that would likely require multiple runs and some specific gametree set ups.

[@zachdelong1039]

What stake is this based on? At $1/$2 nobody is raising to $4 or even $6. Standard open is more like $12/$15. Just the way the game tends to play. Especially in states that have a buy in greater then $200

[@mcav22]

Only nits raise to $6, unless you wanna play a family pot.

[@Nosirt]

Lower stakes, like 1/2, 1/3 have 4-5X bb opens but smaller 3 bet raises. Higher stakes have lower open, like 2-3X but bigger 3 bet raises. So in 1/3, it is pretty normal for 10-20 open, with 15$ average. But 3 bet is usually around 30-40$ In 2/5, opens are 20-30$ but 3 bet is like 100-150$

[@ThePokerBank]

More of an online environment since, like you said, these sizes are rarely used in live cash games =)

[@brainwormradio4285]

This isn’t true. Online I see people at 1/2 open to 4 and 6

[@michaelstephens9852]

@@brainwormradio4285 he was talking live play. No one opens to 6 live.

[@scottzimmermann5146]

James, great lesson here. I have a question, if you don't mind: Is this lesson equally applicable for both cash and tournament play? (I understand that tournament antes change everything. But I am thinking of tournments without antes.) Thank you kindly.

[@ThePokerBank]

Cheers Scott! If you are talking about tournaments before antes and thus likely that ICM pressure isn't very high yet, then yup, the lesson applies very well 👍

[@peterzerfass4609]

Where does this drop in density of 3bets at 5BB BTN raise come from? That seems weird. Is it just that at 3BB we have already constrained our range of non-paired hands so much that there isn't many that get dropped by a move to 5BB and at the same time we're cutting out many low pairs from our 3 bet range? ..or is it more an effect of "with a 5BB raise we're more likely to be all in before we even rach the river so our 3-bet range cannot contain anything that requires some improvement by then (which again would eliminate the low pairs because we're not getting the price to setmine)

[@colinmurphy3478]

Do you defend tighter the further out from the button the raiser is? What do these ranges look like? Thank you

[@jamiepaolinetti5087]

Great lesson.

[@ThePokerBank]

Thanks Jamie!

[@chanceneck8072]

I remember in such easy situations that you've mentioned in your intro, that I almost never 3-bet bluffed. Which in hindsight I see as a mistake.

[@ThePokerBank]

Hindsight is 20/20 =)

[@raneroandres]

Great video 👏🏼

[@ThePokerBank]

Thanks Andres!

[@catazep]

Why does A9s always looks like an exception What's the difference between A9s A7s and A5s? Also, there something specific with K6s that makes the solver likes this specifically as a bluff in some spots. Any idea why?😅

[@InstinctBassin]

Great stuff. Are these charts available elsewhere for study? 😊

[@joellemus8279]

This ranges are really useful

[@ThePokerBank]

The specific charts from this video are included in GTO Gems ( redchippoker.com/gto-gems-book ). Otherwise, I believe you can explore them more in depth using PokerSnowie

[@namanpadha2038]

Thank you Sir

[@ThePokerBank]

Any time!

[@ericarias8175]

This is also assuming you will play the post flop perfectly, I definitely overfold but that is intentional because I know that post flop I have leaks that I am working on fixing.

[@seamuswardowski1962]

And what changes if the SB decides to call the Button raise, regardless of size?

[@SuperVic1979]

Does this apply the same to both cash and tournaments ?

[@EricSmyth2Christ]

Not at all Cash games there is a rake, which changes everything Tournaments have 1 bb ante

[@SuperVic1979]

@@EricSmyth2Christ plenty aware of that. Asking how to adjust to the latter then.

[@ThePokerBank]

If the ICM pressure is pretty much non-existent and the stack depths are around 100bb, the concepts apply to both, yup.

[@SuperVic1979]

@@ThePokerBank Thanks!

[@criostasi]

What is the size of the 3 bet against those different open sizes? That's missing and I think it's really important.

[@ThePokerBank]

I believe 3.5x

[@prairiebuds870]

This spot I was kinda in yesterday , had 17 bbs in the Bb with a4o and CutOff 2.5x opened with AQo with about the same sized stack , I tank jammed and he tank called and ended up holding out for the rake and we bust .. did I widen my jamming range too much here ? Is he ever folding AQ with less then 20 bbs

[@RageReaperf]

Its quite a good jam if he is tanking with AQo :D

[@chadwellington2524]

no hes neve r folding ace queen under 20 bb, and ace 5 shove 17 bb is too wide

[@prairiebuds870]

@@chadwellington2524 figured we still had enough to fold it up , and wait for a better spot ! Thanks for your opinion

[@divided_and_conquered1854]

The only problem with defending from the big blind is that after the flop comes out, you'll be out of position the rest of the hand.

[@omarfromthewire603]

Is this for CASH or MTTs ??

[@ThePokerBank]

Cash for sure, and MTTs if the ICM pressure is pretty much non-existent and the stack depths are around 100bb

[@CookTheBruce]

When the CO or BU limp, I regularly 3x and get about 70% folds from them...

[@ThePokerBank]

That sounds like a dream!

[@kelhammel8793]

I feel like this video just plugged a massive leak for me. I was too tight in this spot

[@EricSmyth2Christ]

Nice

[@ThePokerBank]

Cheers Kel!

[@erronblack1]

I can't not notice the music in the background.

[@ThePokerBank]

Do you want more?

[@zenathemalewarrior]

Weird to see AQo as a pure call. I'm 3betting that almost 100%

[@momsaid]

How bout 5-7x like live

[@cata9223]

man you always have missing information your not wrong but you don't tell a complete story like how do you defend a 3xbb with a 10bb stack holding 64o because I promise you don't you must dine the stack size for this strategy. because extreme example but 100bb deep you can fold AKo and call 56s. man like your basic pot odds video doesn't say much about pot odds I think you need to have more in it like MDF and breakeven value and ratio to breakeven and more. because you can accidentally calc and mix either MDF and breakeven or anything.

[@brendonw456]

Well yeah info is missing...it's not even 9 minutes long. What did you expect?

[@mellkiades]

I've been playing for years. Read many books. Won three small tournaments with 250 players. But this video is full Chinese to me. You're talking so fast. You're assuming we have massive theory assimilated. In all humility I wish I got everything you said but must admit I feel like quitting poker altogether right now.

[@clayevins6795]

Huh?

[@ThePokerBank]

Huh?

[@thesneakingninja1]

Videos about preflop that don’t mention rake structure are useless

[@TheMarceloSilva]

ok so tournaments don't have preflop? would be wrong to consider fairly average rake for cash game? "Useless" his 1 or 2 hours of work to put up this video ? or your stupid comment ?

[@ThePokerBank]

I'll be sure to make this a 45minute video next time to include all parameters and reasonings!

[@jrviade85]

Stop with the computer stuff crap Teach us poker from what you know son!!! This is why I haven't subscribed to this channel smh

[@ThePokerBank]

What channels do you sub to?