Which hands should the small blind shove at 5bb?
At 5bb the small blind has to choose between folding for -0.5 and putting the whole stack in. The equilibrium shoves 71.5% of hands, which is 948 of the 1,326 combos.
In shorthand the shoving range is 22+, A2s+, K2s+, Q2s+, J2s+, T2s+, 94s+, 84s+, 74s+, 64s+, 53s+, 43s, A2o+, K2o+, Q2o+, J3o+, T6o+, 97o+, 86o+, 76o. By equity against a random hand, 43s is the lowest-ranked hand that still shoves and 96o is the highest-ranked hand that folds. 96o mixes between shoving and folding at this stack, which marks the edge of the range: either choice is close to break-even.
Small blind shove chart at 5 big blinds heads-up. Shoves: 22+, A2s+, K2s+, Q2s+, J2s+, T2s+, 94s+, 84s+, 74s+, 64s+, 53s+, 43s, A2o+, K2o+, Q2o+, J3o+, T6o+, 97o+, 86o+, 76o.
- Shove
- Mixes
- Fold
- Under 50% equity
Which hands should the big blind call with at 5bb?
A call at 5bb risks the whole stack, so the big blind needs a hand that holds up against the shoving range. The chart calls with 62.1% of hands (823 combos).
In shorthand the calling range is 22+, A2s+, K2s+, Q2s+, J2s+, T4s+, 95s+, 86s+, 76s, A2o+, K2o+, Q2o+, J5o+, T7o+, 97o+. By equity against a random hand, 76s is the lowest-ranked hand that still calls and J4o is the highest-ranked hand that folds. 97o mixes between calling and folding at this stack, which marks the edge of the range: either choice is close to break-even.
Big blind call chart at 5 big blinds heads-up. Calls: 22+, A2s+, K2s+, Q2s+, J2s+, T4s+, 95s+, 86s+, 76s, A2o+, K2o+, Q2o+, J5o+, T7o+, 97o+.
- Call
- Mixes
- Fold
- Under 50% equity
Which kinds of hands make up the 5bb ranges?
Pairs, suited hands and offsuit hands thin out at different speeds as the stack grows. The table counts the hands of each kind that act at 5bb, out of the 13 pairs and the 78 suited and 78 offsuit hands, and the share of each kind's specific combos that act once mixed hands are weighted by how often they act.
| Kind | Small blind shoves | Share of combos | Big blind calls | Share of combos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pairs | 13 of 13 | 100.0% | 13 of 13 | 100.0% |
| Suited hands | 67 of 78 | 85.9% | 55 of 78 | 70.5% |
| Offsuit hands | 50 of 78 | 64.3% | 44 of 78 | 56.1% |
Which decisions are closest at 5bb?
At 5bb the tightest decisions are the hands whose edge over folding is smallest. Folding costs -0.500 for the small blind and -1.000 for the big blind, and every figure below is in big blinds.
| Hand | Rank of 169 | Shove EV | Fold EV | Edge | Equity when called | Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43s | 150 | -0.497 | -0.500 | +0.003 | 36.8% | Shove |
| J3o | 116 | -0.497 | -0.500 | +0.003 | 36.0% | Shove |
| 94s | 123 | -0.489 | -0.500 | +0.011 | 36.4% | Shove |
| 96o | 120 | -0.500 | -0.500 | +0.000 | 36.1% | Fold |
| 93s | 126 | -0.509 | -0.500 | -0.009 | 36.1% | Fold |
| 63s | 147 | -0.510 | -0.500 | -0.010 | 36.4% | Fold |
| Hand | Rank of 169 | Call EV | Fold EV | Edge | Equity vs shoves | Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 97o | 109 | -1.000 | -1.000 | +0.000 | 40.0% | Call |
| 95s | 113 | -0.999 | -1.000 | +0.001 | 40.0% | Call |
| T4s | 108 | -0.986 | -1.000 | +0.014 | 40.1% | Call |
| 65s | 128 | -1.004 | -1.000 | -0.004 | 40.0% | Fold |
| 85s | 119 | -1.031 | -1.000 | -0.031 | 39.7% | Fold |
| 75s | 124 | -1.035 | -1.000 | -0.035 | 39.6% | Fold |
Which seat is ahead at 5bb?
At 5bb the small blind's seat is worth +0.056 big blinds per hand dealt, so the shove range steals enough blinds to come out ahead of the big blind's seat. The small blind stays ahead until the stack reaches 8bb, where the value per hand turns negative. Value per hand dealt counts folds, shoves and calls together, from the start of the hand before the blinds go in.
How does the chart change around 5bb?
| Stack | Small blind shoves | Big blind calls | Small blind value per hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3bb | 78.0% | 92.3% | +0.052 |
| 4bb | 73.8% | 74.1% | +0.066 |
| 5bb | 71.5% | 62.1% | +0.056 |
| 6bb | 68.3% | 54.4% | +0.038 |
| 7bb | 66.3% | 48.6% | +0.017 |
Going from 4bb to 5bb, 96o, J2o, T5o and 93s leave and 53s and 43s join the small blind's shoving range; J4o, T6o, T3s, J3o, 87o and 16 more leave the big blind's calling range.
The biggest single move for the small blind between 4bb and 5bb is 93s, which goes from shoving 100% of the time to 0%. For the big blind it is T3s, from calling 100% of the time to 0%.
Read the chart by the shorter of the two stacks. If you hold 5bb and your opponent holds more, the extra chips never play, and this 5bb chart is the one to use.
Where can I check one hand or a different stack?
Hands near the edge of the 5bb ranges have pages of their own, and the calculator answers any hand at any stack from 1 to 20 big blinds. For tournament prize money, see the ICM examples.
How was this chart computed?
We solve a chips-only game for two players: small blind 0.5, big blind 1, no ante, equal stacks. Starting hands are the 169 classes, weighted so that shared cards are impossible, and equity comes from counting every five-card board. The solver plays itself with best responses, averages them, and fixes the hands on the edge so they are exactly indifferent. Exploitability is the most the two players could gain together by switching to a best response, in big blinds per hand. At 5bb the published strategies have an exploitability of under 0.000001 big blinds per hand, against a limit of 0.001.
Source: GeorgeLiPoker's own heads-up solver, run on its exact preflop equity table.
Questions
- What is the push or fold range at 5bb heads-up?
- The small blind shoves 22+, A2s+, K2s+, Q2s+, J2s+, T2s+, 94s+, 84s+, 74s+, 64s+, 53s+, 43s, A2o+, K2o+, Q2o+, J3o+, T6o+, 97o+, 86o+, 76o, which is 71.5% of hands. The big blind calls 22+, A2s+, K2s+, Q2s+, J2s+, T4s+, 95s+, 86s+, 76s, A2o+, K2o+, Q2o+, J5o+, T7o+, 97o+, which is 62.1% of hands. Both ranges are for a chips-only game with blinds of 0.5 and 1 and no ante.
- Is 43s a shove at 5bb?
- 43s is one of the closest decisions on the small blind chart. Shoving is worth -0.497 big blinds against -0.500 for folding, so the chart shoves it, and it is rank 150 of 169 by equity against a random hand.
- Should the big blind call with 65s at 5bb?
- The chart folds it, narrowly. Calling is worth -1.004 big blinds against -1.000 for folding, and its equity against the shoving range is 40.0%.