Attacking the Blinds
Position is important in poker, as money flows from right to left around the poker table, changing hands from players in early position to players in later position. When playing from late position, a poker player should be aggressive and relentless. Additionally, a late position player should rarely pass up the opportunity to open a pot to a raise when action has folded to them. By raising the pot before the flop when it has not been open, a late position poker player will successfully steal the blinds many times over.
When a poker star player sitting on the button, in the cutoff position, or in the hijack position, they should automatically raise with virtually any two cards when action has folded to them. Putting in a raise will often knock out everyone left to act. Thus, the late position raiser will successfully steal the blinds before the flop. Sometimes, however, a loose player out of the blinds will make a call. These players typically believe either they are defending their blinds by calling or they feel somewhat committed to the pot, since they already paid money into it in the form of the blinds.
When open-raising from late position and catching a call from one of the blinds, the hand is often taken down on the flop. The typical blind player puts out a loose call and rarely shows post-flop aggression unless they hit the flop. A late position blind stealer is well off by pushing out a continuation bet on the flop, where he will often take down the pot uncontested. In the event the blind player pushes out a flop bet, a late position player should almost always put in a raise to test their opposition. Only in the rarest of circumstances will the blinds come back over the top and when they do, one can fold appropriately.
By raising before the flop from late position on PokerStar.com when no one has entered the pot, a poker player can profit from stealing the blinds. In the event that the blinds do not surrender before the flop, a continuation bet typically does the trick, as most flat calls from the blinds are with marginal holdings. The advantage of acting last gives the late position player the advantage after the flop against marginal hands from the blinds. Poker players should take full advantage of stealing the blinds from late position in order to pad their bankroll.