How deep can the small blind shove 43s?
43s shoves every time as the small blind up to 2bb. At 2bb its shove is worth -0.4543 big blinds against -0.5000 for folding. Between 2.5bb and 10bb it mixes, so either choice is close to break-even there. At 2.5bb the shove is worth -0.5679 big blinds against -0.5000 for folding. Past 10bb the chart folds it.
| Stack | Shove frequency | Shove EV | Fold EV | Equity when called |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1bb | 100% | -0.227 | -0.500 | 38.6% |
| 2bb | 100% | -0.454 | -0.500 | 38.6% |
| 3bb | 0% | -0.603 | -0.500 | 37.9% |
| 4bb | 0% | -0.551 | -0.500 | 37.1% |
| 5bb | 100% | -0.497 | -0.500 | 36.8% |
| 6bb | 100% | -0.486 | -0.500 | 36.5% |
| 7bb | 100% | -0.473 | -0.500 | 36.4% |
| 8bb | 0% | -0.503 | -0.500 | 36.2% |
| 9bb | 100% | -0.497 | -0.500 | 35.9% |
| 10bb | 71% | -0.500 | -0.500 | 35.8% |
| 11bb | 0% | -0.525 | -0.500 | 35.6% |
| 12bb | 0% | -0.548 | -0.500 | 35.5% |
| 13bb | 0% | -0.560 | -0.500 | 35.3% |
| 14bb | 0% | -0.576 | -0.500 | 35.2% |
| 15bb | 0% | -0.630 | -0.500 | 35.1% |
| 16bb | 0% | -0.646 | -0.500 | 34.4% |
| 17bb | 0% | -0.642 | -0.500 | 34.4% |
| 18bb | 0% | -0.664 | -0.500 | 34.2% |
| 19bb | 0% | -0.664 | -0.500 | 34.3% |
| 20bb | 0% | -0.685 | -0.500 | 34.1% |
When should the big blind call with 43s?
43s calls every time as the big blind up to 3.5bb. At 3.5bb its call is worth -0.9039 big blinds against -1.0000 for folding. At 3.5bb a call breaks even at 35.7% equity, because the big blind has already posted a full blind that folding gives up. Past 3.5bb the chart folds it.
| Stack | Call frequency | Call EV | Fold EV | Equity vs shoves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1bb | 100% | -0.227 | -1.000 | 38.6% |
| 2bb | 100% | -0.494 | -1.000 | 37.6% |
| 3bb | 100% | -0.770 | -1.000 | 37.2% |
| 4bb | 0% | -1.034 | -1.000 | 37.1% |
| 5bb | 0% | -1.304 | -1.000 | 37.0% |
| 6bb | 0% | -1.561 | -1.000 | 37.0% |
| 7bb | 0% | -1.836 | -1.000 | 36.9% |
| 8bb | 0% | -2.119 | -1.000 | 36.8% |
| 9bb | 0% | -2.395 | -1.000 | 36.7% |
| 10bb | 0% | -2.684 | -1.000 | 36.6% |
| 11bb | 0% | -2.984 | -1.000 | 36.4% |
| 12bb | 0% | -3.299 | -1.000 | 36.3% |
| 13bb | 0% | -3.583 | -1.000 | 36.2% |
| 14bb | 0% | -3.855 | -1.000 | 36.2% |
| 15bb | 0% | -4.171 | -1.000 | 36.1% |
| 16bb | 0% | -4.473 | -1.000 | 36.0% |
| 17bb | 0% | -4.783 | -1.000 | 35.9% |
| 18bb | 0% | -5.077 | -1.000 | 35.9% |
| 19bb | 0% | -5.397 | -1.000 | 35.8% |
| 20bb | 0% | -5.696 | -1.000 | 35.8% |
What makes 43s different from similar hands?
43s is 4 combos out of the 1,326 two-card hands and ranks number 150 of the 169 starting-hand classes by equity against a random hand. From the small blind, 43s shoves cleanly 0.5bb deeper than 43o (2bb against 1.5bb). From the big blind, 43s calls cleanly 0.5bb deeper than 43o (3.5bb against 3bb). Suited hands win more often because of flushes, which is why the suited version is the more playable of the pair.
Where can I check other hands like 43s?
The stack pages show the full shove and call charts at each depth, and the hands closest to 43s in strength, along with 43o, have pages of their own. The combos page counts the specific hands that make up 43s and how card removal changes them.
How were the numbers for 43s computed?
Both players hold one of the 169 starting-hand classes, weighted by the pairs of specific hands that share no card, so blockers count. Blinds are 0.5 and 1 with no ante and equal stacks. Each pair of classes is scored with its exact equity over every five-card board, and the solver repeats best responses against the other side's running average until the hands on the edge are made exactly indifferent.
Source: GeorgeLiPoker's own heads-up solver, run on its exact preflop equity table.
Questions
- Is 43s a shove at 10bb heads-up?
- Yes. At 10bb the small blind shoves 43s: shoving is worth -0.500 big blinds and folding -0.500. It mixes, shoving 71% of the time.
- Should the big blind call a shove with 43s at 15bb?
- No. At 15bb calling with 43s is worth -4.171 big blinds against -1.000 for folding, so the chart folds.
- Why does 43s change from a shove to a fold as stacks grow?
- Deeper stacks put more chips at risk for the same blinds, and the big blind can afford to call a smaller share of hands. 43s shoves every time only up to 2bb.