MTT preflop strategy

UTG range vs BTN 3-bet at 30 bb (9-max)

When you open from UTG and BTN 3-bets you, with an effective stack of 30 bb in a 9-max tournament, the solver plays 67.0% of its hands (call 45.2%, all-in 21.8%) and folds 33.0%. These frequencies come from Exploit It's full preflop tree: a chip-EV equilibrium with antes, computed for every position at the table.

Fold 33.0%Call 45.2%Raise 11.00 bb 0.0%All-in 21.8%

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 67.0% of the hands that reach this spot, about 140 combos out of 208.
  • Call is the main action for 44.5% of hands: from JJ down to 87s, the weakest hand played this way.
  • All-in is the main action for 19.6% of hands: from AA down to A5s, the weakest hand played this way.
  • Surprise: the solver folds some top-50 hands here, such as AJo, ATo, KTs, KQo.

What changes at 25 bb (4 hands change action)

  • KQo: fold here, call at 25 bb
  • A7s: fold here, call at 25 bb
  • J8s: fold here, call at 25 bb
  • 98s: fold here, call at 25 bb

What changes at 40 bb (16 hands change action)

  • AA: all-in here, raise at 40 bb
  • KK: all-in here, raise at 40 bb
  • QQ: all-in here, raise at 40 bb
  • JJ: call here, raise at 40 bb
  • TT: call here, raise at 40 bb
  • AKs: all-in here, raise at 40 bb

Frequently asked questions

Which hands should you play from UTG, facing a 3-bet, at 30 bb in 9-max?

The solver plays 67.0% of the hands that reach this spot, about 140 combos out of 208. Call is the main action for 44.5% of hands: from JJ 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: 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 fold, T9s fold.

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
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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.