偷盲（Steal Blinds）
In Texas Hold'em, the action of a player in late position such as the button or cutoff raising in an attempt to force the blinds to fold, thereby winning the blind chips directly.
Concept
Stealing blinds is a common aggressive play in Texas Hold'em, especially in the late stages of tournaments or cash games. The core idea is to use positional advantage to pressure players in the blinds into folding. Typically, blind stealing occurs from the Button or Cut-off, as these positions hold post-flop advantage and allow observation of earlier players' actions.
Method
- Bet sizing: Generally raise to 2–2.5 big blinds (BB), sometimes adjusted based on opponents. Raising too large is costly; too small invites calls.
- Hand range: Blind stealing usually employs a wide hand range, including small pairs, suited connectors, Ax-type hands, etc., but must consider the tendencies of blind players.
- Frequency: Frequent stealing invites re-steals, so ranges need balancing; sometimes strong hands should also be raised.
Considerations
- Opponent type: Tight-passive players are easy targets; loose-aggressive players may re-raise, requiring caution.
- Stack depth: Short stacks make stealing riskier but potentially rewarding; deep stacks require post-flop considerations.
- ICM impact: In tournaments near the money or final table, stealing must account for ICM pressure to avoid unnecessary busts.
Re-stealing Strategy
Blind players can counter stealing with:
- 3-bet re-steal: Use a wide range to 3-bet, forcing the stealer to fold.
- Call to trap: Call with medium-strength hands and counterattack post-flop using positional disadvantage.
- Adjust range: Increase defensive range based on the stealer's frequency.
Typical Scenario
Example: Blinds 100/200, effective stack 30 BB. Button holds A♠5♠, all fold to Button who raises to 400. Small blind folds, Big blind with K♦7♦ folds. Button successfully steals the 300 blinds.