progressSmall blind against a button open
The hardest seat to defend from, because you are out of position and a player is still behind you.
The small blind faces the button open with the big blind still to act, so folding and reshoving matter more than calling. This is how our solution book splits the small blind response in an 8-max tournament with ante:
| Stack | Fold | Call | 3-bet | All-in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 BB | 70% | 3% | 0% | 27% |
| 20 BB | 71% | 6% | 0% | 23% |
| 30 BB | 71% | 9% | 12% | 8% |
| 40 BB | 70% | 13% | 17% | 0% |
What the table shows
- The small blind folds a large share of hands at every depth. The fold share is 70% at 15 BB and 70% at 40 BB.
- Shallow, it is shove or fold. At 15 BB the all-in share is 27% and the call 3%.
- Deeper, the small blind starts to 3-bet. At 40 BB the 3-bet is 17% and the all-in 0%.
Example hands
- Some hands that go all-in at least 90% of the time at 15 BB: AA, AKs, AKo, AQs, AQo, AJs, AJo, ATs, ATo, A9s, A9o, A8s, A8o, A7s, A7o, A6s, A6o, A5s, A5o, A4s, A4o, A3s, A3o, A2s.
- Some hands that call at least 90% of the time at 30 BB: A9s, A8s, KJo, KTo, K9s, K8s, QTo, Q8s, JTo, J9s, J8s, T8s, 98s.
- Some hands that 3-bet at least 50% of the time at 40 BB: AA, AKs, AKo, AQs, AQo, AJs, AJo, ATs, A9o, A8o, A7o, A6o, A5o, KK, KQs, KQo, K6s, K5s, K4s, K3s, K2s, QQ, QJo, Q7s.
What to take away
- Fold most of your range and do not defend wide just because you have money in the pot.
- At 15 BB and below plan to shove, not call.
- At 30 to 40 BB mix in the 3-bet. See the full grid in the small blind chart against the button and the small blind guide.
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Questions
How often should the small blind fold to a button open?
In our book 71% at 30 BB, 71% at 20 BB and 70% at 15 BB (8-max, with ante).
Should the small blind call a button open?
At 30 BB the call share is 9% and at 15 BB 3%.
When does the small blind 3-bet?
The 3-bet share is 17% at 40 BB and 12% at 30 BB; at 15 BB it is 0%.
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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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