Stealing the blinds

Opening from the late seats to win the blinds: a bet that is profitable even when it fails a lot.

What it is

A steal is an open from the cutoff, the button or the small blind when everyone before has folded, made with a range much wider than the hands that are strong in their own right. The main goal is to win the blinds (and antes) right away.

It risks the open size to win what is already in the middle, so it has a simple break-even fold rate — and when it is called, it still has equity and often position.

Why it matters

The blinds are in every orbit. Picking them up often enough is a meaningful part of a winning player's results, and stealing too little leaves it to everyone else.

Antes change the price: more dead money, so a steal needs to work less often.

The blinds fight back by 3-betting and defending. A steal range is right only relative to how the blinds play.

The maths

A steal's break-even fold rate equals the open size divided by the open size plus the blinds and antes.

Worked example

Three button steals

You open the button with a hand that will never win if called — the worst case.

2.5 bb into 1.5 bb of blinds: 2.5 / (2.5 + 1.5) = 62.5% folds needed.
3 bb instead: 3 / 4.5 ≈ 66.7%. Bigger is not better when the goal is the blinds.
2.5 bb with an ante of 0.1 bb from each of 6 players: the pot is 2.1 bb, so 2.5 / 4.6 ≈ 54.3%.

The real break-even is lower still, because a called steal keeps its equity and usually its position. That is why button ranges are wide.

Try it

Set the blinds (add antes) and the open size: the calculator shows how often the steal has to win right away.

Blinds and antes in the middle1.5 bb

Your open (chips risked)2.5 bb

How often they fold62%

Alpha: folds needed: 62.5%
EV if it never wins when called: -0.02 bbLosing

Common mistakes

Stealing with oversized opens.
Stealing just as wide into blinds who 3-bet very often.
Not stealing enough from the button.
Giving up on every flop after a steal is called.

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