progressBig blind against an open and a call
A second player in the pot makes calling worse and folding better.
Sometimes the button opens and the small blind calls before the action reaches the big blind. The big blind is then facing two players, and the pot is larger, but a hand now has two opponents to beat after the flop, so it needs more strength. Here is what the solution book does (8-max tournaments with ante), next to the plain defence against a button open when the small blind folds:
| Stack | Fold | Call | 3-bet | All-in | Fold if the SB had folded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 BB | 56% | 19% | 0% | 24% | 21% |
| 20 BB | 54% | 22% | 1% | 23% | 15% |
| 30 BB | 48% | 29% | 8% | 15% | 9% |
| 40 BB | 48% | 34% | 11% | 7% | 12% |
| 60 BB | 50% | 33% | 17% | 0% | 13% |
What changes
- The big blind folds far more. At 30 BB it folds 48% of hands against an open and a call, against only 9% if the small blind had folded.
- The 3-bet and the all-in keep a share. At 30 BB the book 3-bets 8% and shoves 15%: a squeeze takes the pot from both players.
- Shallow, the all-in is the main aggressive play. At 15 BB it is 24% of hands.
Why
Against an open alone the big blind gets a great price and only one opponent. Add the small blind's call and the big blind has two hands to beat, so many marginal hands that were calls become folds, while the strongest hands and blocker hands gain from the bigger pot and the chance to take it down with a 3-bet.
What to take away
- Do not use your usual big blind defence when the small blind has called. Tighten the calls.
- Keep a 3-bet or shove range: the book does not just fold or call.
- See the plain defence in the big blind guide.
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Questions
Should the big blind defend less after a small blind call?
Yes. At 30 BB the book folds 48% of hands in this spot against 9% when the small blind folded.
How often does the big blind 3-bet over an open and a call?
About 8% at 30 BB and 17% at 60 BB in our book.
What about shallow stacks?
At 15 BB the book shoves 24% of hands and calls 19%.
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progressGTO guides use our own solution book (v13, 8-max tournaments with ante, chip EV): an approximation of equilibrium with a modelled postflop, not an exact solution. Numbers are computed from the book and from the exact ICM model.
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