MTT preflop strategy

BB defense vs MP open at 50 bb (9-max)

When MP opens, everyone else folds and you're in the BB, with an effective stack of 50 bb in a 9-max tournament, the solver plays 52.9% of its hands (call 47.2%, raise 7.04 bb 5.7%) and folds 47.1%. These frequencies come from Exploit It's full preflop tree: a chip-EV equilibrium with antes, computed for every position at the table.

Fold 47.1%Call 47.2%Raise 7.04 bb 5.7%

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 52.9% of the hands that reach this spot, about 702 combos out of 1,326.
  • Call is the main action for 47.5% of hands: from TT down to 32s, the weakest hand played this way.
  • Raise is the main action for 5.1% of hands: from AA down to 42s, the weakest hand played this way.
  • Surprise: the solver folds some top-50 hands here, such as A4o.
  • Conversely, the solver plays hands ranked outside the top 100, such as J2s, 96s, T5s, T4s.

What changes at 40 bb (8 hands change action)

  • 99: call here, raise at 40 bb
  • AQs: call here, raise at 40 bb
  • A8s: call here, raise at 40 bb
  • K8o: fold here, call at 40 bb
  • T2s: fold here, call at 40 bb
  • 75s: call here, raise at 40 bb

What changes at 70 bb (6 hands change action)

  • AQs: call here, raise at 70 bb
  • AKo: raise here, call at 70 bb
  • A9s: raise here, call at 70 bb
  • K8o: fold here, call at 70 bb
  • 86s: call here, raise at 70 bb
  • 75s: call here, raise at 70 bb

Frequently asked questions

Which hands should you play from BB, facing an open, at 50 bb in 9-max?

The solver plays 52.9% of the hands that reach this spot, about 702 combos out of 1,326. Call is the main action for 47.5% of hands: from TT down to 32s, 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.

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.