Part: Part Eleven - Short Tables

Short-handed blind battle

Pre-flop
4-handed • Blinds 400 / 800Pot 1,200 (1.5 BB)SBK♠5♣● 20,000 (25 BB)YOUfolded to you, blind vs blindBB● 20,000 (25 BB)posts 800 (1 BB)D

Four-handed, it folds to you in the small blind, heads-up against the big blind, with K♠5♣.

Folded to you in the SB, blind vs blind, with K♠5♣. Best?

WhyOne opponent, and his hand is close to random - K-5o sits well ahead of that. Limp and you hand the big blind a free flop with position on you; raising first-in wins it outright a big share of the time and takes the lead when called.
What happensThe big blind folds and you scoop it. Blind-vs-blind, the initiative is worth more than this small pot - it sets up the flops you'll steal later.
Heads-up in the blinds you're up against a near-random hand, so raise for the initiative and the fold equity - limping only invites a free, in-position flop for your opponent.

Blind versus blind you face one near-random hand, so raise first-in for the initiative instead of limping.