Hey guys. I'm kind of clueless when it comes to what kind of hands I should be defending in the BB multiway. Say for example, we're playing live 9-handed $2/5, a reg opens to $20 in middle position, two weaker recreational players call behind him, and we're in the BB. All have 100bb effective stacks. What are some good guidelines to follow here for defending?

I guess it's kind of a simple fundamentals question, but one I don't know the answer to. On one hand, you're getting a good price to call (4-1). I'd have to think I have at least 20% equity with hands like 75s, J8s, or T9o. But on the other hand, you still have to play postflop, and do you really want to be playing marginal hands out of position against 3 players?

I guess a parallel question would be, are you more likely to call if it was going to be 3-way instead of 4-way? Meaning you're getting worse odds (here 3-1), but your hand equity goes up and you only have to play OP versus two players. I would think yes.

I just read the first paragraph. Fold any hand you don't want to 3! with. You should almost have a zero defending range. Certain table dynamics of course... just general advice.

EDIT: And at these stack sizes any raise should be a shove.

Shove if you suck sure

rofl owned definitely don't think you need to have a 3bet only strategy for starters I think 22-99 can be flats here

I like your style "wait." You can come to my house for BBQ anytime.

So when you don't flop a set??? At theses stack depths, set mining is not profitable. Aggressive pre- flop or let it go.

I think you misread it. Everyone has 100bb stacks, or $500. If they had $100, or 20bb, then yeah, sure.

Dawn. Just had a nice long post ready to send and muy tablet dies.

Agreed Quantum.

Random rule of thumb: subtract 5% of your equity as a penalty for being oop.

Typically i defend with mid pairs, broadways, suited Ax and mid SC, like 65s+. 3bet everything better than that, fold everything worse. Not exactly a GTO approach, but it will do the job vs almost any lineup.

The first thing to get out of your head is that money in the pot is yours. Once it is in the pot, you don't own it any longer. So you are defending nothing. Your question is really whether you should call or raise oop with your hand. Generally, you shouldn't want to call oop a raise unless you have an implied odds hand like pocket pairs. You aren't getting odds in this scenario to play suited connectors. The step beyond the general rule is what is the villain's raising range. If you have a hand better than his range, you can consider 3 betting.

3betting a wide opener and defined calling stations behind him in perfect conditions with reasonable holdings (sc/s1c/s2c, AK, pocket pairs).but really the reasonable holdings and conditions are so that you don’t do it more than once every couple hours or so. It’s more important to judge your villains for their gold equity (high) then their hand strength.

That said, feel free to be tight as hell in both blinds and EP. I’m a lAGGRO player these days, but to a discerning pro, I don’t defend ****. I snap fold off suited trouble hands in blinds.

The only time I will call somewhat wide is with mediocre holdings when 4+ people are in, i CLOSE the action, and the raise is small. Again, this works better deeper and multiway. If you’re defending some bull**** like 68o, you better have a plan to win 25X your call if you crush a flop.

Seriously though, feel free to fold anything but pocket pairs and suited aces, and 3! AK/AQ/TT+. If you’re UTG and UTG +1 range is pp +AK only, you’d probably make more $$