SB range vs BB 3-bet at 20 bb (5-max)
When you open from SB and BB 3-bets you, with an effective stack of 20 bb in a 5-max tournament, the solver plays 67.3% of its hands (call 41.4%, raise 11.96 bb 2.8%, all-in 23.1%) and folds 32.7%. These frequencies come from Exploit It's full preflop tree: a chip-EV equilibrium with antes, computed for every position at the table.
Each cell: the share of each action for that hand, left to right. Gray cell: hand not in the range at this point.
Key takeaways for this spot
- The solver plays 67.3% of the hands that reach this spot, about 18 combos out of 26.
- Call is the main action for 47.5% of hands: from JJ down to 53s, the weakest hand played this way.
- All-in is the main action for 22.2% of hands: from AA down to 44, the weakest hand played this way.
- Surprise: the solver folds some top-50 hands here, such as K9o.
- Conversely, the solver plays hands ranked outside the top 100, such as T5s, 86s, 97o, 87o.
What changes at 17 bb (14 hands change action)
- 88: call here, all-in at 17 bb
- QJo: call here, all-in at 17 bb
- JTs: all-in here, call at 17 bb
- K7s: call here, all-in at 17 bb
- K6s: call here, all-in at 17 bb
- K5s: call here, all-in at 17 bb
What changes at 25 bb (17 hands change action)
- 99: all-in here, call at 25 bb
- 77: all-in here, call at 25 bb
- 66: all-in here, call at 25 bb
- KJo: all-in here, call at 25 bb
- 55: all-in here, call at 25 bb
- KTo: all-in here, fold at 25 bb
Frequently asked questions
Which hands should you play from SB, facing a 3-bet, at 20 bb in 5-max?
The solver plays 67.3% of the hands that reach this spot, about 18 combos out of 26. Call is the main action for 47.5% of hands: from JJ down to 53s, the weakest hand played this way.
What should you do with small pairs (22 to 66) in this spot?
The solver's main action with each hand: 44 all-in, 55 all-in, 66 all-in.
What should you do with weak suited aces (A2s to A5s) in this spot?
The solver's main action with each hand: A2s all-in, A3s all-in, A4s all-in, A5s all-in.
How do you train on this spot?
Exploit It's free quiz deals you random hands in this exact spot and shows you the solver's answer after each choice.
Short stack: the push/fold chart, from 5 to 20 bb
Equilibrium computed by the Exploit It solver in chip-EV, antes included, open size 2 bb at 25 bb or less and 2.2 bb deeper. The model's range-width caps can make some EVs of unplayed actions optimistic: play the frequencies.