Stealing the blinds in Texas holdem is a common strategy 
 for players with at least some experience. 
Its basically when a player raises pre-flop in order 
 to win the blinds, without a flop.
In fact, stealing the blinds is one of 
 the more fundamental aspects of Texas holdem
because it goes hand in hand with the forced blinds that rotate every round
the random hands in the blinds,  
and position plays post-flop that actually create a disadvantage for calling steal attempts. 
This all tends to create more action around the button 
 area, especially when early position players have all folded.
There is no rule regarding stealing although in most other cases 
 in real life “stealing is not a good thing”
Like this clever character who tried to steal the World Cup of Soccer. 
Well stealing is not only common in poker,
but an integral part of the game that will require you to make 
skilful decisions in either situation whether you are stealing yourself, or defending your blinds.
As mentioned, all this usually takes place near the button
when most players have already folded
like here where the cut-off position decides to raise, apparently to steal the blinds.
Now with only 3 players to act after him,
he could very well assume that they all have random, 
 or weak hands they cannot call a raise with.
Therefore, it is common practice to steal from late 
 position with a much wider range of hands.
This becomes even more clear when after a flop, 
 if you call a raise from the blinds
you are out of position because your opponent gets to act after you.
So if you miss the flop and check
he could still really just have anything and 
 take the pot down right there. 
Even with a decent starting hand, say like AJ,
Even with a decent starting hand, say like AJ,
you are really turning this hand into a risky situation that could 
 result in a big pot where you have nothing really.
So if you are the one doing the stealing,
consistently making a continuation bet
will win the pot often enough to make it a 
 profitable bet, no matter what the flop is.
Avoid traps by managing your bets and the pot size 
 so you are not committed to weak situations.
And before you steal, you should have an ideal of 
 what type of player you are stealing from
and if his stack-size might be inclined to re-raise you. 
One thing you should know about Texas holdem
is that playing from the blinds is a losing money-losing situation.
Its better to have the disposition of trying 
 to keep your losses to a minimum
rather than seeking to engage in controversial plays against those aggravating blind-stealers!
Although folding can be difficult, usually this is the best play in the blinds,
Although folding can be difficult, usually this is the best play in the blinds,
If you think you are ahead preflop, 
then reraise preflop or trap the stealer into making 
 a cbet where you can then check-raise.
The idea is not steal too much, or not 
 give up your blinds too much either. 
You cant be so obvious to make a steal attempt every time because eventually
someone is going t stand up and knock you down.
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