Position is a crucial aspect in poker; being the last to act during each round of betting post-flop provides a significant edge. Observing your opponents' moves before you allows for more optimal decision-making and often places them in difficult situations from which you can benefit.
To compensate for potentially being out-of-position During the preflop betting phase, as you move further to the right of the dealer button (acting early), you should adopt a tighter range of starting hands for your opening raises.
This is vital not only because you might be out of position later in the hand, but also due to the risk of being 3-bet by a player positioned to act after you. If you open your hand range too wide, you'll likely face challenges in adequately defending that range, which may entail continuing with hands that have a negative expected value (–EV). minimum defense frequency - MDF Starting Hand Selection Chart for 6-Max Cash Games (100 Big Blinds)
Table of Contents
It’s crucial only to raise with hands that have a positive expected value (+EV) right from the start when considering an open-raise.
Utilizing tools like PokerSnowie and PioSolver can help us establish a foundational chart for starting hands in 6-Max poker.
And thanks to the help of poker solver Bear in mind that the range of hands we are able to play becomes increasingly broader as we draw closer to the button.
Also, it's important to clarify that the hands listed are those we are raising openly, which indicates that no players have acted before us in that particular position (no limpers or other raises, for instance). open-raise Finally, it's important to understand that the chart above indicates the Small Blind's range when raising first in (RFI). If you opt to engage in a mixed strategy from the SB, incorporating both open-limps and open-raises may be advisable, but this article focuses on the straightforward RFI baseline, omitting limps.
Studying this foundational chart is vital for developing your poker strategy. If your opening range comprises too many hands that are slightly –EV, the mistakes you make during the hand could lead to even larger –EV scenarios if your post-flop play isn’t sharp.
Also, it is recommended to adopt a 2.5x raise size when referring to this chart. This approach is particularly effective for online play, where the dynamics may differ from live games, especially at lower stakes due to higher rake. GTO This chart is designed to reflect a Game Theory Optimal (GTO) approach for choosing hands to open-raise in a 6-Max format. Essentially, if all players are playing perfectly, this chart should guide your decisions.
However, the reality of poker is that players often make mistakes. When you encounter significant weaknesses in another player's strategy, it’s important to take advantage of those flaws rather than strictly adhering to a fundamentally sound game plan aimed only at maximizing your profit. winning strategy in poker Here are a few scenarios where you might consider adjusting your strategy away from the basic chart:
If you spot a weaker player in the big blind, consider raising with a broader range as you approach the button.
When To Deviate From This Chart
Should you have a loose-aggressive player who frequently 3-bets sitting immediately to your left, it might be wise to tighten your opening range.
If you're still honing your foundational strategies, it would be prudent to raise with a tighter range. This will help eliminate minor +EV preflop opportunities while fostering larger +EV situations for your post-flop play as you advance your skills.
If tighter players are positioned to your left, who tend to fold more often to raises, you can afford to widen your opening range.
- These instances are merely suggestions. Also, consider experimenting with varying your entire range of raise sizes depending on the table dynamics, if you're looking to tighten or loosen your hand range for a targeted outcome.
- Typically, if your raise is larger, your hand range should also be tighter.
- At micro stakes, some coaches propose starting with a 4x open raise from UTG, then tapering it to 3x for the Hijack, 2.5x for the Cutoff and Button, and returning to about 3 to 4x for Small Blind openings. postflop play The rationale behind these larger-than-usual recommended open-raise sizes is that the calling ranges at micro stakes are much wider than those at higher stakes. (Opening your premium hands from early position will yield more value compared to opening a wider range from late position.)
- For instance, if you have a solid upper range for UTG and a player on the button who would call a 3x or 4x raise with Q8s, you should go for that additional value. Your hand range will inherently be stronger than theirs.
In live games, it is common for players to open with a raise of 4-5x the big blind. (Often, only at stakes like 2/5 do you see players opening to 3x.) While this strategy is exploitable, it is based on valid logic.
A Word on Preflop Raise Sizing
The smaller you open-raise, the more poker hands you can open (by a small percentage).
Specifically, many players prefer to see flops in live games, as they engage with only about 25 hands per hour, making it crucial to deter weaker hands from calling while maximizing value against inferior hands. By raising larger, you can decrease the number of players seeing the flop, allowing you to retain the maximum equity against only one opponent instead of several.
From an exploitative stance, don't hesitate to adjust your open-raise sizes at the table. If a wild player joins in, they may have a threshold for the amount they are willing to call for a flop.
Feel free to continue increasing your open-raise sizes (while keeping your range tighter for exploitation, if necessary) until you identify their calling threshold. UTG While this article primarily addresses OPEN-raises, it’s still important to briefly consider this topic.
In general, when facing an opponent's open raise, you should only call with hands that outperform the majority of their opening range and then play for value with your strongest hands while mixing in some bluffs on hands that aren't strong enough to justify a call.
It’s crucial to assess the player's image at the table, their raise size, and stack sizes, but this applies across all aspects of poker.
Always take all the various factors into account.
Make it a habit to study the chart above and review it consistently until it becomes second nature.
Understanding and being familiar with GTO charts like this is crucial for establishing a strong baseline for your plays and knowing when to deviate based on the context of the game.
Acting AFTER an Open-Raise
Matthew Cluff is a skilled poker player who focuses on 6-Max No Limit Hold’em and occasionally contributes online content about poker strategies for various platforms.
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