MTT preflop strategy

MP open range at 8 bb (7-max)

When you're MP and it folds to you, with an effective stack of 8 bb in a 7-max tournament, the solver plays 25.8% of its hands (raise 2.00 bb 11.4%, all-in 14.3%) and folds 74.2%. These frequencies come from Exploit It's full preflop tree: a chip-EV equilibrium with antes, computed for every position at the table.

Fold 74.2%Raise 2.00 bb 11.4%All-in 14.3%

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 25.8% of the hands that reach this spot, about 342 combos out of 1,326.
  • Raise is the main action for 11.9% of hands: from AA down to A4o, the weakest hand played this way.
  • All-in is the main action for 13.9% of hands: from AKs down to 22, the weakest hand played this way.
  • Surprise: the solver folds some top-50 hands here, such as K9o, K7s, QTo, K6s.

What changes at 10 bb (26 hands change action)

  • AKs: all-in here, raise at 10 bb
  • AQs: all-in here, raise at 10 bb
  • 77: all-in here, raise at 10 bb
  • AJs: all-in here, raise at 10 bb
  • ATs: all-in here, raise at 10 bb
  • AJo: all-in here, raise at 10 bb

Frequently asked questions

Which hands should you play from MP, first in, at 8 bb in 7-max?

The solver plays 25.8% of the hands that reach this spot, about 342 combos out of 1,326. Raise is the main action for 11.9% of hands: from AA down to A4o, 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: 22 all-in, 33 all-in, 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

The same spot at other depths
Related spots

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.