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Strategy w/ 20 bb effective
Of all stack sizes, 20 bb might be the toughest for me to play. I get in trouble by making a pre-flop raise that if 3-bet, I’m folding, and if we see a flop, my hand is vulnerable.
What hands should I be opening to 2.5 bb with 20 bb stack?
I can think of a few deep runs w/ ~20 bb where I opened semi-strong hands like KTo from middle position and approached it in 3 steps:
plan A — take down the blinds and win a small pot to chip up
plan B — if we see a flop, I’m hoping to hit something and get it in to double up.
plan C — if A and B fail, get out cheaply and take a loss.
I hope you’re with me when I say that this strategy is lazy.
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According to RangeTrainer Pro,
My opening range from middle position with 20 bb,
19.5% — 55+, A3s+, A9o+, KQ, KJ, QJ, K8s+, Q8s+, J9s+
According to RangeTrainer Pro,
The button will 3-bet a 20 bb stack with:
6.9% — 88+, AK, AQ, KQs, KJs, KTs, QJs, JTs, A5s, A4s
According to RangeTrainer Pro,
If a player behind with 20 bb decides to 3-bet All In,
you should be calling all in with this range of hands.
8.3% — 66+, ATs+, AJo+, KQs, KJs
If I review these ranges ahead of time, I can approximate my expected value in this scenario because I know my %call = (8.3 / 19.5) ~ 42.5% from doing the research.
Assume the pot is 2.5 bb and you open to 2.5 and get 3-bet to 20 bb.
We are finding the EV of opponents play of 3-betting us.
Fold EV = (1 – %call) (pot + bet)
Call EV = (%call)[(%win)(pot + bet + raise) – (1 – %win)(raise – bet)]
Fold EV = (57.5%)(2.5 bb + 2.5 bb)
Fold EV = (57.5%(5 bb) = 2.875 bb
Call EV = (42.5%)[(%win)(5 bb + 20 bb) – (1-%win)(20 bb – 2.5 bb)]
Call EV = (42.5%)[(W)(25 bb) – (1 – W)(17.5 bb)]
Break-Even
Total EV = Fold EV + Call EV
0 = 2.875 bb + (42.5%)[(W)(25 bb) – (1 – W)(17.5 bb)]
0 = 2.875 bb + (10.625 bb)(W) – 17.5 bb + (17.5 bb)(W)
0 = -14.625 + 28.125W
W = 52%
Lessons Learned:
1) You should be opening ~20% of hands with 20 bb. Hands like big pairs and middle pairs, suited aces, big offsuit aces, broadway kings, connected and suited Queens, connected and suited Jacks.
55+, A3s+, A9o+, KQ, KJ, QJ, K8s+, Q8s+, J9s+
2) You should be 3-betting ~7% of hands with 20 bb. Basically, the top 1/3 of your opening range should be the best pocket pairs, strongest aces, kings, and queens.
88+, AK, AQ, KQs, KJs, KTs, QJs, JTs, A5s, A4s
3) You should be calling a 3-bet all in ~8% with 20 bb. Of the opening range, fold the weaker aces, less connected Kings, and the Qx and Jx hands. By calling 8% of a 20% opening range, this means you will call with 42% of your opening range.
66+, ATs+, AJo+, KQs, KJs
4) To break-even, the 3-bettor needs to win 52% when the opener calls 42%.
Opener Calling Range
66+, ATs+, AJo+, KQs, KJs
3-Betting Range
88+, AK, AQ, KQs, KJs, KTs, QJs, JTs, A5s, A4s
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5 Replies
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also a tip, you shouldnt be opening to 2.5 off anything under 60bb. Typically you want. 15-30bb open to 2bb, 30-50/60 2.2/2.3bb, 60-100 2.5 bb and 100 and over 3bb is fine. When you open to 2.5 off 20bb say you get 3b 2 times in a row and have to fold you just cost yourself an extra bb.
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Also ranges are position dependent, you’re going to be opening less hands from EP or UTG than you will from the HJ and Even more opens off the btn. Same with 3bs you’ll have less 3b against the ep open than you will off the say HJ or BTN. But I do like how your looking at 20bb spots. When I first started my poker study i spent the most time looking at 20-30bb spots because that’s where you’re going to spend most of your tournament life.
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Nothing here I can add any wisdom to…just wanted to say it is a helpful analysis for me to see!
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Another reason not to bet so large with a 20BB stack is that you don’t have to build as big of a pot to get it all in by the river.
You also offer your opponent different pot odds. The reasons that the standard raise size (3BB) 10 years ago, and the recommended 3bet raise size today are both pot sized is purely math based.
You flop a pair or better 32% of the time. Facing a pot sized-bet you need 33% equity to call (Call 1 to win 3).
Betting smaller gives yourself a smaller break even %, allowing you to play slightly more hands (and your opponent gets a larger MDF, also).
Also, a quick way to begin to remember ranges is to simplify to the majority.
The majority of hands RFI 20BB is:
Always suited Aces
BN: suited 6s and mix offsuit 8s, pocket 2s,
CO: suited 7s and mix offsuit 9s, pocket 4s,
HJ: suited 8s and offsuit 10s, pocket 5s.
Notice a pattern? Same pattern works everywhere adjusting for stack sizes. Once you have that down, work on the outliers, then the frequencies.
Remember that these are GTO RFIs for a perfect opponent, so they can be adjusted if your opponent(s) isn’t Pluribus.
Preflop happens every hand, it is by far the most important thing to study.
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imo opening weakish hands with 20 bbs is a mistake. the lower ur BBs get the more u lose the opportunity to re shove over late pos opens. also if u open a marginal hand and get shoved on u cant call then u can be down to say 17bbs and if the blinds go up u lose the chance to 3bet shove and u will be in push/fold mode which is not where u wanna be.
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