Opening range:

all suited broadways, T9s, 77+, KQo (10.6% of hands)

Vs 3 bet:

4 bet and call off:

KK+,AKo (2.1%)

Flat 3 bet:

QQ,AKs (0.8%)

4 bet bluff/fold to jam:

AQ, KQs (1.5%)

Thoughts/feedback?

With the flatting range, I can obviously be exploited by villains barreling off runouts with less than a queen as the high card on the board. Unsure what to do or if i should have a flatting range. However without one I have to shove QQ for value here. Having similar problems with a HJ range and deciding what/if I should flat

I'd probably throw in more suited aces in your UTG range and use those as 4-bet bluffs. When you hold an ace in your hand your opponent is much less likely to be holding AA.

I think you can flat more hands to the 3-bet. JJ, TT, and 99. Even 88 isn't too loose. Also AQs and AJs are strong enough to call as well.

Depends on opening raise size, 3 bet size, and the position of the 3 bettor.

Hmmm. As Bob noted, sizes and positions will matter. But based solely on theory, I would double check a few points:

AKs in theory belongs with the KK+ 4b/call off, and the AKo belongs in the flatting. I know that the suited hand “plays better” but when you are 4b and calling off the concept of playability goes way down in strategy and stacks are likely going in anyway, especially if stacks are 100bb. Also, when flatting with AKo, the SPR will likely be low enough to allow balanced jamming with only high card, so unsuited and unimproved AK is actually lower in range and thus a better bluff (this is near the bottom of your range post flop).

What happened to 77-JJ? Are these not flats? At 100bb stacks, you should have implied odds to set mine with these, definitely at least JJ, TT.

Raise/folding AQo and KQs is fine, personally I would flat with those as well, and raise/fold ATs, A5s, stuff like that.

3x open, 3x or pot 3bet. The standard stuff you see online

Is this for 9max?

6

I'd like you to define why you think each aspect of the range you've created is, "balanced."

I'd then like you to write an essay about the population tendencies of your opponents when they:

3bet
get faced with a 4bet
5bet

BStars giving the good homework itt!

AKs and QQ are better than AKo if stacks go in pre, so you should generally be more likely to 4-bet the former than the latter if you're playing for stacks.
Personally I would 4-bet AK almost 100% of the time if I'm OOP, and I'd usually do the same with queens.

OK I tried again based on the advice in this thread and I will answer the questions BS gave me. Let me know what you think or possible improvements. Here is the new range I thought of:

RFI from LJ/UTG:

66+, A2s+, K10s+, Q10s+, J10s+, T9s, 98s, 87s, 76s, AJo+, KQo (13.9%)

vs 3 bet from HJ-BTN:

4 bet and stack off:

QQ+, AKs (1.7%)

flat:

AKo,A10s-AQs,JJ,TT (2.7%)

4 bet fold:

AQo,KQs,some KQo(2%)

Total defense: 6.4%



Questions BS asked me:

>I'd like you to define why you think each aspect of the range you've created is, "balanced."

The minimum defence frequency for a standard 3x 3bet (3bb vs 9bb 3 bet from an IP player) is ~66%. I meet that by only folding 54% of the time, defending more than that to make up for the advantages the in position 3 bettor has.

I chose my value hands, which is a certain percent of my range, and then bluff hands in a ratio so that I am only folding to a 5 bet jam 54% of the time, discouraging 5 bet bluffs. If villain had 0% equity, he would need me to fold to his 5 bets ~72.5% of the time. However his bluffs and stuff will realize some equity when I call so I defend way more than 27.5% (I defend 46%)

>population tendencies 3bet
get faced with a 4bet
5bet

AT 5nl

3 bet tendencies vary greatly by player. However, this stat converges quickly and its best to assume unknowns 3 bet for value. They underbluff utg raises.


The population rarely 4 bet bluffs


Almost never 5 bet bluffs

Right? My range above is constructed for the idea of balance, if I ever require it. However, I think it is best to never 5 bet bluff (or almost never), and be cautious with calling off 5 bets?

Also I noticed micro players flat 4 bets a lot

Be careful with the concepts of MDF and bluff wrt preflop. I get what you mean, but actually adhering to MDF and having some junk in your range is not guaranteed kosher in 6-max. Definitely HU, but 6-max preflop is not nearly as solved as HU.

I think 5-bet bluffing is actually doable even at your stakes. It all depends on the player. Just the other day I 5-bet bluffed to $9 at 10NL zoom. My opponent had a 400BB stack and I had him covered. Fortunately he folded.

If you want to construct a 5-bet bluffing range, just know that A5s has the best equity against QQ+ and AK of all the suited aces. When presented the opportunity keep A5s in mind. If you hold it, you can make it a conditional bluff. So if the situation is right you can bluff with it. Having a specific hand or hands in mind can keep you from accidently over bluffing.

I tend to 3-bet a lot of hands. What sometimes ends up happening is players will adjust by accidently 4-betting with more bluffs than value and you can jam over them. This happens quite a bit in the CO vs. BU, but even at the other spots as well.

A common thing I've noticed from recreationals is that they sometimes 4-bet small as a bluff and 4-bet large for value. The reason? Perhaps they are concerned about pot committing themselves when bluffing, when they have a value hand they don't want to give good implied odds so they go a bit bigger.

Using MDF pre-flop is counter-productive. You're not playing heads up (it's still a multiplayer game when villain 3-bets, unless he's in the BB), and none of your hands are total bluffs with 0% equity.

The range/strat detailed in post #11 looks better than before.

You didn't mention which position is doing the 3-betting (it makes a little bit of difference, as MP 3-bets tighter than BTN, for example), but assuming it's CO or BTN, I would put 99 (and probably 88 as well) in the flatting range, and either 4-bet or fold ATs. If you're flatting AKo and AQs OOP, you don't need many other Ax in your calling range. It's probably better to have A5s/A4s in your 4-bet range in preference to KQo, as blocking AA/AK (potential 5-bets) is more important than blocking KK/QQ, and A5s also does better post-flop than offsuit Broadways on the rare occasions villain flats the 4-bet. KQo can just fold to the 3-bet. AQo doesn't play too well either, and when I open it UTG or in MP, I basically fold to a decent-sized 3-bet by anyone.

100bb deep, 5-bet bluffing is not really a thing. (I don't get the chance to 5-bet very often, because 4-bets are pretty rare, but when I do, I often min-5-bet, and and I am always calling a 6-bet shove. I'm not putting 45% of my stack in the middle and then folding. That would be dumb.)