MTT preflop strategy

CO range vs UTG open at 10 bb (9-max)

When UTG opens and you're CO, with an effective stack of 10 bb in a 9-max tournament, the solver plays 35.9% of its hands (call 31.9%, raise 5.20 bb 0.9%, all-in 3.1%) and folds 64.1%. These frequencies come from Exploit It's full preflop tree: a chip-EV equilibrium with antes, computed for every position at the table.

Fold 64.1%Call 31.9%Raise 5.20 bb 0.9%All-in 3.1%

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 35.8% of the hands that reach this spot, about 475 combos out of 1,326.
  • Call is the main action for 32.4% of hands: from JJ down to Q6s, the weakest hand played this way.
  • Raise is the main action for 0.5% of hands: from 22 down to 22, the weakest hand played this way.
  • All-in is the main action for 3.5% of hands: from AA down to T9s, the weakest hand played this way.

What changes at 8 bb (17 hands change action)

  • AA: all-in here, raise at 8 bb
  • AQs: call here, all-in at 8 bb
  • QJs: all-in here, call at 8 bb
  • JTs: all-in here, call at 8 bb
  • K6s: call here, fold at 8 bb
  • Q8s: call here, fold at 8 bb

What changes at 12 bb (7 hands change action)

  • T9s: all-in here, raise at 12 bb
  • Q8o: fold here, call at 12 bb
  • J9o: fold here, call at 12 bb
  • K2s: fold here, call at 12 bb
  • Q5s: fold here, call at 12 bb
  • T8s: fold here, call at 12 bb

Frequently asked questions

Which hands should you play from CO, facing an open, at 10 bb in 9-max?

The solver plays 35.8% of the hands that reach this spot, about 475 combos out of 1,326. Call is the main action for 32.4% of hands: from JJ down to Q6s, 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 raise, 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.

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.