This introductory guide offers a strategic lens for action taken in the cutoff (CO) position. We'll reference scenarios from NLHE cash games, yet many ideas will seamlessly integrate into different formats, including tournaments. PLO .
Let's revisit the vital attributes of the cutoff position (CO). cutoff ).
- In the hierarchy of seating positions at the table, the CO is the second most advantageous, following the button.
- Typically, players in the CO will find themselves in a favorable position post-flop unless there is significant action from the button.
- From this position, there exists a fair opportunity to attempt stealing the blinds.
- In terms of preflop action, the CO acts fourth to last, which means our cold calls can often be met with further actions such as squeezes.
- The Cutoff – An Overview
The most lucrative situation arises when the action is folded around to the CO preflop, enabling us to initiate an open raise. Proficient players generally aim for a somewhat aggressive play from the CO, raising about 27% of their hands.
Steal – This term refers to an open raise executed from the small blind (SB).small blind ), CO (cutoff) or BTN (button).
An open from a late position, such as the CO, is often called a 'steal attempt', given the high likelihood of claiming the blinds without having to confront the flop.
A successful steal from the CO occurs when both the blinds and the button choose to fold. We prefer this outcome because facing action from the button would leave us out of position on the flop.
While the majority of our profit from the CO comes from open raising, we also have the flexibility to challenge early positions by either cold calling or executing a 3bet. open raises It can be tricky to adopt too aggressive a strategy in this context.
1. Cold calls may easily be squeezed by the button, small blind, or big blind.
However, since -
2. Even if we opt for a 3bet, the button, small blind, or big blind could respond with a cold 4bet preflop.
3. Since we are up against players in early positions like the hijack (HJ), we usually contend with a somewhat strong opening range.
Thus, cold calling and 3betting will account for a smaller proportion of our overall strategy when compared to actions taken from the button.
When the action folds around to us, we should aim to steal the blinds aggressively. Occasionally, we can maximize our positional advantage by incorporating cold calls and 3bets in response to opens.
Strategic Outlook in the CO
Recommended average frequency for cold calling: Around 8%
Stats:
Recommended average frequency for 3betting: Around 7%
Recommended frequency for raising first in: Around 27% (Keep in mind that these figures consider various open sizing options.)
Let's examine some defending ranges for the small blind when we are playing 100bb NLHE. While it isn't crucial to memorize exact combinations, having a solid grasp of how widely we should play in each situation is important.
This example range is created for defending against a 3bb open-raise from the hijack position. If the hijack raises a smaller amount, we should expand our defending range; however, we'll address that later. Notice that the 3betting range is heavily skewed towards high-equity hands since bluffing with speculative holdings is typically less effective—players tend not to fold as frequently against 3bets as one might expect.
Sample Ranges From the CUTOFF
There isn't a significant shift in our strategy when defending against a low jack (LJ) open as compared to a hijack open. However, strong players will still make slight adjustments to their ranges. It's essential to realize we usually defend a tighter range against an LJ open due to the average strength of the opening range being greater than that of the HJ. cash game The term 'raise-first-in' refers to the act of open-raising after the action has folded to us. In this scenario, we should aim to raise relatively aggressively because we stand a good chance of claiming the blinds.
CODefence vs Hijack Open
Purple: Re-raise (3bet) range
Blue: Cold calling range
Our raising range constitutes approximately 27% of our holdings. We pursue aggressive raises in hopes of securing the blinds, yet we must observe certain constraints on how wide we can raise. If we open too liberally, skilled opponents in the button or blinds may take advantage of this. 3bet That said, if we encounter weaker players or conservative folders at the table, it’s not uncommon to see players profitably open-raising up to 40% of their holdings from the CO. However, this would be an inherently wider strategy.
CO Defence vs Lojack Open
Purple: Re-raise (3bet) range
Blue: Cold calling range
When we play aggressively from the CO, facing 3bets from the blinds is an inevitable occurrence. The following sample range provides an insight into which hands we should call and which we might fold; engaging in speculative 4betting isn't often favorable since the average opponent fails to fold as frequently as would be ideal when facing 4bets. If the 3bettor is on the button rather than in the blinds, we should react with a more conservative range. lojack It’s crucial to consider that these sample ranges serve as a general guide rather than strict rules. In practice, we will adjust these defending ranges based on a multitude of factors. Understanding these variables can enhance our capacity to make informed decisions in real-time.
CO Raise-First-In Range
Opponent’s sizing – The larger the opening raise or 3bet amount from our adversary, the tighter our defending range should be. preflop Positioning – The later the position of our opponent, the wider we can afford to be in our defenses.
Player reads – For example, if an opponent frequently folds to 3bets, we can afford to 3bet more aggressively.
Opponent’s skill level – If we are up against a less competent player, we can generally increase our hand range. blinds Stealing opportunities – If the blinds tend to fold too often, we can expand our open-raising threshold beyond 27%.
CO vs Blinds 3bet
Cold-calling scenarios – If the button and blinds are tight and seldom squeeze, we can afford to cold-call a broader range from the CO. re-raise (4bet).
Blue = Call vs 3bet
Purple = Re-raise (4bet) vs 3bet
Note that we tend towards re-raise ( 4betting ) with high-equity hands only. 4bet bluffing Iso-raising – This occurs when we raise from the CO in response to a limper. Given our likely postflop position, the cutoff is a solid seat for iso-raising.
Blue = Call vs 3bet
Purple = Re-raise (4bet) vs 3bet
Relevant Adjustments
Therefore, we can raise aggressively (though typically not with the same level of aggression as our raising range from this position).
Iso-raise – A preflop raise initiated against a limper.
Overcalling/Squeezing – These terms refer to actions taken in 3-way scenarios. When faced with two players, we generally prefer 3betting to speculative hands that are well-suited and connected.
Overcall – A call made after a player has already entered the pot.
Squeeze – A 3bet executed following at least one call against an open raise.
For illustrative purposes, here is an example of a CO squeezing or overcalling range when confronting an LJ open followed by a HJ call.
It's important to note that this scenario represents the sole potential for squeezing from the CO while engaged in a short-handed (SH) game.
Other Scenarios
Timothy \"Ch0r0r0\" Allin is a highly skilled professional player, coach, and author. Since his inception into the game in 2006, he has built his bankroll from the absolute lowest online limits without making any deposits. After successfully competing in some of the most challenging environments (and emerging victorious), he now shares his knowledge and strategic insights through the 888poker magazine. open-limp 888poker-EGR-logo-Mobile-Header-2021-white
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Purple: Re-raise (squeeze) range
Blue: Overcalling range