Push range at 5 bb on the button
It folds to you on the button. You have 5 bb, the same stack as the small blind and the big blind still to act, with a big blind ante. The equilibrium (Nash, chip-EV) pushes 49.6% of hands and folds the rest.
Red: push. Blue: fold. Circled cell: borderline hand, push and fold are worth almost the same.
Key takeaways for this spot
- Push range: 22+, A2s+, A2o+, K2s+, K2o+, Q2s+, Q6o+, J6s+, J8o+, T7s+, T8o+, 98s, 87s, i.e. 49.6% of hands (658 combos out of 1,326).
- Borderline hands, where push and fold are worth almost the same (less than 0.05 bb apart): J6s, K2o, J5s, T8o, J4s, 97s, 87s.
- If the SB is the only caller: they call 57.8% of hands (22+, A2s+, A2o+, K2s+, K2o+, Q2s+, Q3o+, J3s+, J7o+, T6s+, T8o+, 96s+, 98o, 85s+, 75s+, 65s, 54s).
- If the BB is the only caller: they call 90.0% of hands (22+, A2s+, A2o+, K2s+, K2o+, Q2s+, Q2o+, J2s+, J2o+, T2s+, T2o+, 92s+, 95o+, 82s+, 84o+, 72s+, 74o+, 62s+, 63o+, 52s+, 53o+, 42s+, 43o, 32s).
What changes at 6 bb (4 hands change)
- added: 97s, 86s
- removed: J8o, Q6o
Frequently asked questions
What is the push range at 5 bb on the button?
With a big blind ante and equal stacks, the equilibrium pushes 49.6% of hands: 22+, A2s+, A2o+, K2s+, K2o+, Q2s+, Q6o+, J6s+, J8o+, T7s+, T8o+, 98s, 87s.
Should you push 87s on the button at 5 bb?
Yes: against the equilibrium calling ranges, pushing earns 0.02 bb more than folding.
Should you push Q5o on the button at 5 bb?
No: pushing loses 0.07 bb compared with folding against the equilibrium calling ranges.
What does the big blind call against this push?
90.0% of hands: 22+, A2s+, A2o+, K2s+, K2o+, Q2s+, Q2o+, J2s+, J2o+, T2s+, T2o+, 92s+, 95o+, 82s+, 84o+, 72s+, 74o+, 62s+, 63o+, 52s+, 53o+, 42s+, 43o, 32s.
Do these ranges apply on the bubble or at a final table?
No: here every chip is worth its face value (chip-EV). With pay jumps, ICM tightens push and call ranges; the “Jam or fold” solver computes these cases with your payout structure.
Nash equilibrium computed by the Exploit It solver in chip-EV: equal stacks, 1 bb big blind ante, folded to you. Each hand is classified by the sign of its EV against the equilibrium calling ranges. On the bubble or at a final table, ICM changes the ranges.