Poker strategy X –steal play and defense play
In games of poker, the term steal is often used as an alternative expression for bluff. However, the term has a very specific application and in those games which need ante or blind play, the concept of an ante steal or a blind steal comes into use. When a player raises an ante or a blind bet with a hand with which he should not have normally raised, hoping that his opponents would have a weaker hand than him preventing them from calling, and he actually wins without any further play, then he has performed an ante steal or a blind steal. This strategy of play is commonly used in the closing stage of a poker game where most hands gave been folded or in those variations where not many players are involved. However, raising under any condition of the game is considered steal play and the strategy may be employed by enterprising poker players. A case in point is someone who has a large chip stock and suspects his opponent of trying to steal the pot, can stop that attempt by himself-re-raising in a form of aggressive play. By doing so, the player is not only giving himself a chance to collect the blind and ante wagers and also the opponent’s chips when he folds, but also preventing the opponent from raising and therefore limit the player’s chances to win.
Moreover, in tournament games of poker where ante and blind pattern of play is prevalent and the wagering rockets up, steal play is a favored tactics by many gamblers. It is not possible to make large winning by steal play but frequent use of this gameplan can allow players to make a sizeable gain if unchallenged.
Defense play is a crucial counter-strategy in poker games and becomes effective to check aggressive play like steal. So, a player may call or re-raise if his neighbor resorts to repeated steal play whenever he is wagering a blind as such aggression is often a bluff tactics played with an inferior hand.
