Blind Posting in the Big Blind or Cutoff?

1. Introduction

When one sits down at a table, one might wonder where to post one's blind: in the big blind or in the cutoff. The answer to this question depends on the number of players, since the cost per hand depends on how many players are sitting at the table.

2. Winnings in the cutoff

2.1. Explanation of the chart

The cost per hand comes from the blind costs (1.5 small bets) divided by the number of players (which is the same as hands per round). With 10 players, this yields: cost per game= 1.5 small bets/10 = .15 small bets.

If we post at a 10 player table in the cutoff, we will have 7 games until we have to post a blind again. These 7 games have a value of .15*7= 1.05 SB. But we will only pay 1 SB for all of them and so we make a gain of .05 SB over posting normally in the small and big blinds.

At 9 players both positions are equal. At 8 players, posting in the cutoff goes into the red. At a shorthanded table with 6 players, posting in the cutoff at first would create losses of .25 SB. If you sit down at a 10 player table as MP3, you'll lose .10 SB.

3. The advantages of posting in the cutoff

At a 10 player table, there are simple mathematical and strategic advantages to posting in the cutoff.

If we compare the short cutoff round (7 games) with the normal round (10 games), we'll notice the following differences:

a) In the cutoff round we miss the button (a very good spot) and both blinds (two very bad places). True, it's more important to have a better place more often than a worse place less often, but here it's 1 to 2. This is a possible pro for the cutoff.

b) In the cutoff round we have one forced play in late position, whereas we normally have two of these from early position. While point a) deals with sheer potential for play, point b) addresses the tendency to defend one's blinds. This especially is an advantage of the cutoff.

c) You don't have to defend your cutoff blind as often since only 6 potential stealers come before you instead of 8. 

If you do have to defend it, you usually have position on the raiser. Thus, you can defend with more hands than you can in the big blind. Additionally, you have an interesting strategic option in the form of a 3-bet. The 3-bet is interesting for several reasons.

• In most cases, 1.5 SB dead blind money will go directly to the middle of the table.
• Many players lower their raising standards considerably in the presence of 2.5 SB blind money. Thus, the opposition doesn't necessarily have a premium hand. The value of the 3-bet is even better against loose aggressive players.
• Because of the positional advantage in combination with the initiative you can often win right on the flop if your opponents miss it.

d) If all opponents fold before you, you should basically raise with any cards (even 32o)! For readers of this article, this should be a standard move just like the obligatory bet on the flop as the small blind against the big blind in an unraised pot.

Such moves automatically yield profit that can add up to a tidy sum over time.

Why is this move so good? A normal blind stealer risks 2 SB to win 1.5 SB (4:3). As a cutoff poster stealer, you risk 1SB to win 2.5 SB. This is a serious numerical difference! Of course, your cards are typically not as good as a classical stealer (although they're range is also wide), but your opponent doesn't know that.

The success of a semi-bluff is carried by the character of your opponent and his cards much more than your own cards. From experience, we know that both blinds fold often enough for the bluff to be profitable for this reason alone.

Then there are the cases where the big blind calls pre-flop but gives up after one flop bet. For a bluff, it is important that you recognize when it fails. If the button, small blind, or big blind make a 3-bet then it is advisable to give up if the flop doesn't bring improvement. You should also avoid bluffing yourself to death if the big blind calls the flop.

The only circumstance in which the standard raise from cutoff should not be made is when both of the following apply:

1. your own cards are junk
2. the opponents behind you are very loose aggressive

4. Closing words

Posting in the cutoff is clearly better than posting in the big blind, especially in the following circumstances: If you try to sit out the blinds in a normal round to get in at the cutoff, you would have to post 1 SB plus .5 SB dead money. The rules forbid you to jump in at the cutoff for free because it is too advantageous. Look at the initial round as a privilege!

You can probably post in the cutoff even if fewer than 9 players are in the game since the positional advantages balance the immediate financial loss of small bets.

Even at a 6 man table the cutoff post could be considered. Suppose you picked this table because you have position on two huge fish. You lose .25 small bets on your cutoff post, but you get 3 additional games against the big fish. As you can see, the problem is multidimensional.

In practice this can also be an argument for posting in the big blind at a 10 player table if it gets you 3 more games against the fish.

The "big blind or cutoff" question is certainly not the centerpoint for your poker skills. However, like all the other strategic tools in your arsenal, working on this subject is just one more way to improve your personal expected value. We must look at poker skills as a system whose functionality depends on the optimization of many parameters. I hope this article helped you pin down at least one of those parameters.