Stealing blinds is an important part of poker.
If you can win chips uncontested, you add to your overall positive expectation.
In no-limit Texas hold'em, it's important to know the right time to try to steal blinds and when you should lay off.
Stealing Blinds in No-Limit Cash Games
It's not quite as important to try to steal blinds in no-limit full ring cash games as it is in other forms of poker.
This is because the blinds are usually relatively small compared to the average pot, so winning the blinds regularly will not necessarily help you dominate the game.
That being said, if it is folded around to you in late position, it is often better to win the blinds uncontested than to just flat call and give the blinds a free opportunity to flop a hand that will beat you.
Blind stealing also becomes a lot more important in shorthanded cash games.
You post blinds a lot more often and need to fight harder for what's in the middle.
Stealing Blinds in No-Limit Tournaments
It's much more important to be able to steal blinds in a no-limit tournament situation than in full ring games.
This is because blinds in tournaments rise as the tournament progresses, meaning simply winning the blinds can add a considerable amount of chips to your stack.
In tournaments, it's usually better to wait until later in the tournament to steal, as in the early rounds, stealing blinds are not as worth the risk.
Stealing Blinds to Advertise
One good play to make in a no-limit game is to raise in late position with a garbage hand to try to steal the blinds.
If you are called or raised, you can throw away the hand at any time for minimal risk.
If your opponents fold, you can show your hand. Not only have you won a few chips, you have created an image as a bluffer without putting too many chips at risk.
