MTT preflop strategy

SB range vs BB 3-bet at 25 bb (8-max)

When you open from SB and BB 3-bets you, with an effective stack of 25 bb in a 8-max tournament, the solver plays 80.6% of its hands (call 63.3%, raise 11.96 bb 0.9%, all-in 16.4%) and folds 19.4%. These frequencies come from Exploit It's full preflop tree: a chip-EV equilibrium with antes, computed for every position at the table.

Fold 19.4%Call 63.3%Raise 11.96 bb 0.9%All-in 16.4%

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 81.0% of the hands that reach this spot, about 9 combos out of 12.
  • Call is the main action for 69.3% of hands: from JJ down to 42s, the weakest hand played this way.
  • All-in is the main action for 14.4% of hands: from AA down to K5s, 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, T4s, 86s, 97o.

What changes at 20 bb (22 hands change action)

  • QQ: all-in here, raise at 20 bb
  • 99: call here, all-in at 20 bb
  • 88: call here, all-in at 20 bb
  • 77: call here, all-in at 20 bb
  • 66: call here, all-in at 20 bb
  • KJo: call here, all-in at 20 bb

Frequently asked questions

Which hands should you play from SB, facing a 3-bet, at 25 bb in 8-max?

The solver plays 81.0% of the hands that reach this spot, about 9 combos out of 12. Call is the main action for 69.3% of hands: from JJ down to 42s, 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 call, 55 call, 66 call.

What should you do with suited connectors (54s to T9s) in this spot?

The solver's main action with each hand: 87s call, 98s call, T9s 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.

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.