Push range at 5 bb in the cutoff
It folds to you in the cutoff. You have 5 bb, the same stack as the button and both blinds still to act, with a big blind ante. The equilibrium (Nash, chip-EV) pushes 41.0% 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: 33+, A2s+, A2o+, K2s+, K6o+, Q4s+, Q8o+, J7s+, J9o+, T7s+, T9o, 97s+, i.e. 41.0% of hands (544 combos out of 1,326).
- Borderline hands, where push and fold are worth almost the same (less than 0.05 bb apart): K6o, Q8o, Q5s, Q4s, T7s, 22, 87s, 76s.
- If the BTN is the only caller: they call 37.0% of hands (22+, A2s+, A2o+, K2s+, K6o+, Q6s+, Q9o+, J8s+, JTo, T8s+).
- If the SB is the only caller: they call 47.5% of hands (22+, A2s+, A2o+, K2s+, K2o+, Q2s+, Q7o+, J7s+, J9o+, T7s+, T9o, 97s+, 87s, 76s, 65s).
- If the BB is the only caller: they call 88.2% of hands (22+, A2s+, A2o+, K2s+, K2o+, Q2s+, Q2o+, J2s+, J2o+, T2s+, T3o+, 92s+, 95o+, 82s+, 85o+, 72s+, 74o+, 62s+, 63o+, 52s+, 53o+, 42s+, 43o, 32s).
What changes at 6 bb (7 hands change)
- added: 22, 87s
- removed: Q8o, J9o, Q5s, Q4s, T9o
Frequently asked questions
What is the push range at 5 bb in the cutoff?
With a big blind ante and equal stacks, the equilibrium pushes 41.0% of hands: 33+, A2s+, A2o+, K2s+, K6o+, Q4s+, Q8o+, J7s+, J9o+, T7s+, T9o, 97s+.
Should you push 97s in the cutoff at 5 bb?
Yes: against the equilibrium calling ranges, pushing earns 0.05 bb more than folding.
Should you push K5o in the cutoff at 5 bb?
No: pushing loses 0.08 bb compared with folding against the equilibrium calling ranges.
What does the big blind call against this push?
88.2% of hands: 22+, A2s+, A2o+, K2s+, K2o+, Q2s+, Q2o+, J2s+, J2o+, T2s+, T3o+, 92s+, 95o+, 82s+, 85o+, 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.