Explanation of Stealing
When a player makes an open-raise from the cutoff, button, or small blind, it's typically considered a 'steal' attempt. Many players track the frequency of these steal attempts across these three key positions, which is commonly referred to as the ATS (attempt to steal) frequency.
Any initial raise meant to capture the preflop blinds or antes can similarly be called a steal, regardless of the specific game variant being played.
When players decide to re-raise against someone attempting to steal, these actions are known as 'resteals.'
Example of Stealing used in a sentence -> Mastering the technique of stealing from the button and small blind positions can significantly enhance our winning potential in Texas Hold'em.
How to Incorporate Stealing into Your Poker Strategy
The rate at which a player chooses to attempt a steal during the first betting round is influenced by several factors.
- If the players behind us are folding frequently to steal attempts, we can boost our stealing frequency.
- If the opponents behind are playing poorly in later betting rounds, we can also increase our stealing frequency.
- On the other hand, if the players behind are aggressively re-stealing or playing exceptionally well in later rounds, we may need to lower our stealing frequency.
In poker games that include a dealer button, the button position is where we most often attempt to steal, followed by the small blind, and then the cutoff.
Some general recommendations for stealing in No Limit Hold'em include -
BTN – 48%
SB – 36%
CO – 27%
See Also
Button , Small Blind , Blind , Ante