Live cash games
Big blind against a big live open
Live players often open to 5bb. The bigger the open, the fewer hands the big blind can defend.
Short answer
Defend tighter. Against a 2.5bb button open the Aced Poker big blind chart plays 57% of hands.
Against a 5bb open the estimate drops to 34%. The bigger open gives you a worse price.
Facing large live opens. Aced Pro lesson, 6 min.
The price to call from the big blind
| Button opens | You call | Equity needed | Chart plays |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5bb | 1.5bb | 27.3% | 57% |
| 3bb | 2bb | 30.8% | 50% |
| 4bb | 3bb | 35.3% | 40% |
| 5bb | 4bb | 38.1% | 34% |
Math Equity needed is exact math before rake, with everyone else folding. Chart plays is the share of hands the big blind calls or 3bets. Every open above 2.5bb uses an estimate chart.
Big blind against a 5bb button open
- 3bet 22bb 8%
- Call 26%
- Fold 66%
Estimate BB vs BTN open. 9-handed cash, 100bb. Aced derived this chart by rule from its BB vs BTN open chart. It is an estimate, not a solve.
Show every hand as text
3bet 22bb every time
AAAKsAKoKKQQ
3bet 22bb part of the time
AQs 85%AJs 40%ATs 25%A9s 10%A5s 60%A4s 50%A3s 40%A2s 35%KQs 35%KJs 40%KTs 40%K9s 40%K8s 40%K7s 35%K6s 25%K5s 20%K4s 10%AQo 45%Q9s 40%Q8s 25%Q7s 10%KJo 35%QJo 30%JJ 45%J9s 30%J8s 15%TT 25%T8s 10%A9o 40%K9o 25%Q9o 15%J9o 10%T9o 10%99 10%97s 5%A8o 30%A7o 15%A5o 25%A4o 15%
Call every time
A8sA7sA6sKQoQJsQTsAJoAToKTo88776655
Call part of the time
AQs 15%AJs 60%ATs 75%A9s 90%A5s 40%A4s 50%A3s 60%A2s 55%KQs 65%KJs 60%KTs 60%K9s 60%K8s 60%K7s 65%K6s 60%K5s 55%K4s 50%K3s 45%K2s 40%AQo 55%Q9s 60%Q8s 55%Q7s 50%Q6s 45%Q5s 45%Q4s 30%Q3s 30%KJo 65%QJo 70%JJ 55%JTs 95%J9s 40%J8s 35%J7s 35%J6s 15%J5s 20%QTo 90%JTo 60%TT 75%T9s 55%T8s 25%T7s 25%T6s 15%A9o 60%K9o 75%Q9o 55%J9o 30%T9o 20%99 90%98s 20%97s 10%96s 5%A8o 70%K8o 75%98o 10%87s 10%86s 5%A7o 85%K7o 65%76s 5%A6o 95%K6o 55%A5o 65%A4o 65%44 85%A3o 75%33 50%A2o 65%22 25%
Hands not listed fold.
Against a 5bb open from each seat
| Spot | Share of hands |
|---|---|
| UTG opens Estimate | 3bet 22bb 2% Call 10% Fold 88% |
| Cutoff opens Estimate | 3bet 22bb 7% Call 17% Fold 76% |
| Button opens Estimate | 3bet 22bb 8% Call 26% Fold 66% |
Share of all starting hands. 100bb stacks. Estimate means Aced derived the chart by rule. It is not a solve.
FAQ
Questions players ask.
How much equity do I need to call a 5bb open from the big blind?
38.1% before rake, if everyone else folds.
Should I 3bet more against big opens?
The 5bb estimate 3bets 8% of hands against the button. At 2.5bb the chart 3bets 10%.
Is the 5bb chart solved?
No. Aced derived it by rule from its 2.5bb chart. It is an estimate.
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