Push/fold dynamics in short stacks

• Push/fold means you either go all in preflop or fold. No small opens and no postflop play.
• Typical switch points are 8 to 12 bb with antes in play. With no antes, switch a little lower.
• Use push/fold earlier when you expect low fold equity after raising or when postflop skill gaps are small.
• Use a small open strategy slightly deeper such as 13 to 20 bb in soft spots, but always know your shove and call thresholds.

• Effective stack: equals the smallest stack among players involved. That number drives your decision.
• Antes: increase dead money and improve shove EV. You can shove wider with antes than without.
• Position: later seats shove wider because fewer players can wake up behind you.
• Coverage: be careful when a player who covers you sits behind you near bubbles and pay jumps.

• Caller price: when you face an all in, equity needed = B ÷ (P + B). B is the bet you must call and P is the pot before your call.
• Break even shove idea: shoves gain when fold equity is high or your equity when called is strong. More antes and tighter callers increase fold equity.
• Blockers: Ax and Kx remove top calls from opponents. Good for shove bluffs and resteals.
• Domination risk: offsuit aces can be dominated when called from early position. Prefer suited and connected hands for playability when calls happen.

These are practical guidelines, not exact charts. Tighten one notch early, widen one notch late, and tighten near bubbles.

• UTG 9 max 22 plus, A8s plus, ATo plus, KQs.
• MP 22 plus, A6s plus, A9o plus, KJs plus, QJs.
• CO 22 plus, A2s plus, A8o plus, KTo plus, K9s plus, QTs plus, JTs, T9s.
• BTN any pair, any ace, K8s plus, KTo plus, Q9s plus, QTo plus, J9s plus, T9s, 98s.
• SB heads up vs BB shove very wide including many kings, queens, suited connectors, and any ace. Mix some traps with top pairs if BB over calls.
• BB vs limps isolate shove wider with strong blockers and hands that play well when called. Tighten vs tight limpers who trap.

• 18 to 22 bb best for 3-bet shoves over late opens, especially from blinds and BTN. Choose hands with blockers like Axs, KQo, KJs, small pairs.
• 12 to 17 bb still good for shove over opens. Consider flat calls in position with pairs and suited broadways when strong players behind you are tight.
• Under 12 bb prefer open shoves or shove over opens. Avoid raise fold unless table is very passive.
• Target open raisers with high fold to 3-bet or players opening too wide on BTN and CO.
• Avoid resteals against short stacks who will call correctly or against big stacks that cover you near bubbles.

• Use price first. If you must call 9 into a pot that will be 30, required equity is 9 ÷ 30 = 30 percent.
• In the blinds vs late position shoves, call wider because ranges are wider and you close the action.
• Versus early position shoves, call tighter especially off suit broadways without blockers.
• Near bubbles and final tables, apply ICM pressure and fold marginal calls that risk your tournament life for small equity gains.
• Heads up, call much wider. Chip EV dominates and ranges are very wide at shallow stacks.

• Big stack shove wider, especially into medium stacks who fear busting. Pressure blinds and opens.
• Medium stack tighten call offs, prefer resteal shoves with strong blockers and clear fold equity. Survival has extra value.
• Short stack take first good shove before blinds hit you. Any ace and many kings are profitable from late positions.
• Pay jumps reduce thin calls even when chip EV is positive. Avoid flipping with stacks that cover you unless the payout justifies it.

• Bounties add to pot value. You can call and shove wider to win a bounty when you cover the opponent.
• When shorter than the shover, be tighter calling because you do not win their bounty when they cover you.
• Target short stacks you cover from late positions with blocker based shoves. Expect wider calls from others who also cover the target.

• Multiway reduces fold equity. Shove tighter unless you have strong equity or a bounty incentive.
• Over limp shoves work well with medium pairs and strong suited aces when there are antes and short stacks behind you.
• Beware of traps from early position limpers at tight tables. Use stronger ranges when isolating all in.

• At 10 bb effective, SB can jam very wide including any ace, most kings, many queens, suited connectors, and all pairs.
• BB calls wider than in full ring because ranges are wide and you close action. Use blocker logic and the caller price.
• Add small min-raises mixed with jams if opponent over folds to raises and over calls jams.

• Online players defend closer to charts. Expect more calls and lighter resteals at common stakes.
• Live fields often over fold to shoves and call too tight near bubbles. Increase shove frequency from late positions and value shove a bit wider.
• Adjust quickly to table tendencies. If calls are too wide, tighten bluff shoves and value shove stronger.

10 bb CO with antes: profitable open shoves include A2s plus, A8o plus, 22 plus, KTo plus, K9s plus, QTs plus, JTs.

18 bb BB vs BTN 2x open: good 3-bet shoves include A5s to A2s, AJs plus, KQs, 66 to 99, KJs as a mix, depending on opener and ICM.

8 bb BTN folds, SB vs BB: SB can shove very wide. Tighten if BB is sticky and calls correctly, widen if BB over folds.

Bubble as big stack: BTN opens wide, call off tighter only against stacks that cover you. Pressure medium stacks in blinds with shove or 3-bet shove lines.

• Raise folding at 8 to 12 bb against aggressive players. You burn the best part of your stack utility.
• Using the same ranges with and without antes. Antes widen profitable shoves.
• Calling off too wide near bubbles and final tables where ICM is strong.
• Ignoring blockers for resteals. Axs and Kxs are high value in 3-bet shove spots.
• Forgetting coverage. Avoid flipping with the only stack that can cripple you when pay jumps are near.

• Create one page cards for 6 to 8 bb, 9 to 12 bb, and 13 to 20 bb that list open shoves, resteals, and call offs by seat.
• Drill ten hands daily with push/fold trainers. Focus on late positions and blind versus blind first.
• Tag all shove and call spots in your database. Review weekly and compare to your card. Adjust for your pool tendencies.

• Switch to push/fold around 8 to 12 bb with antes. Use small opens a bit deeper only when tables are passive.
• Later position shoves wider. Antes increase shove EV. Blockers matter for resteals.
• ICM tightens calls for medium stacks. Big stacks attack, shorts take first good shove.
• PKO call and shove wider when you cover the bounty. Tighter when you do not.
• Heads up ranges are very wide. SB jams often. BB calls wider by price.

Keep push fold simple, respect ICM, and practice the highest volume seats first. Clean decisions at short stacks turn close spots into long term ROI.