MTT preflop strategy

UTG range vs BTN 3-bet at 8 bb (7-max)

When you open from UTG and BTN 3-bets you, with an effective stack of 8 bb in a 7-max tournament, the solver plays 87.2% of its hands (call 87.2%) and folds 12.8%. These frequencies come from Exploit It's full preflop tree: a chip-EV equilibrium with antes, computed for every position at the table.

Fold 12.8%Call 87.2%

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 87.4% of the hands that reach this spot, about 25 combos out of 28.
Call is the main action for 84.1% of hands: from AA down to 87s, the weakest hand played this way.
Surprise: the solver folds some top-50 hands here, such as A8o, A7o, K9o, A6o.

What changes at 10 bb (17 hands change action)

A9o: call here, fold at 10 bb
KJo: call here, fold at 10 bb
A6s: call here, fold at 10 bb
KTo: call here, fold at 10 bb
K8s: call here, fold at 10 bb
A3s: call here, fold at 10 bb

Frequently asked questions

Which hands should you play from UTG, facing a 3-bet, at 8 bb in 7-max?

The solver plays 87.4% of the hands that reach this spot, about 25 combos out of 28. Call is the main action for 84.1% of hands: from AA down to 87s, 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 call, 33 call, 44 call, 55 call, 66 call.

What should you do with weak suited aces (A2s to A5s) in this spot?

The solver's main action with each hand: A2s call, A3s call, A4s call, A5s call.

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.

Equilibrium computed by the Exploit It solver in chip-EV, antes included, open size 2 bb, a little more at deep stacks (up to 2.5 bb on the button at 100 bb), 2 to 3.5 bb from the SB. EVs of actions the equilibrium does not play are indicative: play the frequencies.