Position BTN

Position BTN

Features of the Button position

If the player is on the button and his opponents are out of the game, he can play out the occupy position with open-raise, taking into account the style of playing his opponents in the blinds. When the game runs against the nits (the VPIP value is less than 16%), it will be optimal to use a 2,5BB raise with any cards to get profit at the distance. If the opponents respond with a 3-bet, then they have a good hand, against which it's worth playing 4-bet with KK+, and if you have QQ and AK call to see the flop. The rest of the cards should be discarded.

Tightly aggressive opponents (VPIP value 18-24%, 3-bet-5%) often prefer to call hands like KQo/AJs from the position of the blinds. If there are such rivals at the table, it is worth playing half of the possible starting hands.

How to play with a different type of tight-aggressive players

If there is another type of tight-aggressive players at the table (the VPIP value is 18-24%, however, they tend to play 3-bet/fold in the blinds, becoming more aggressive), the game can start with a call of opponents with pairs of 22-99, while 3-betting is used to capture the initiative with hands AJ+, A9s+, KTs+, QTs+, 76s+. In the case of their range of value-hands pre-flop will be considered TT+ and AK.

If you have AQ from your opponents, you can wait 5-bet. However, everything here will depend on the situation at the table. Often, such rivals go on a raise with broadway cards, gaining in such way a weighty advantage. The remaining cards will constitute a significant proportion of their range for a balanced game. Such rivals are considered to be quite aggressive. They often fold. But if they responded with a 3-bet, then their range is narrow enough, so the game will only continue if you have KQs+, AJs+, AQ+ and QQ+.

Who are the passive-loose players

Thanks to the pasiive-loose opponents, in the blinds another players can play more freely, increasing the range of his hands for open-raising. Often at the table, you can meet opponents who are too keen on the blinds 3-betting and have VPIP, exceeding 28%. Against them is right to do 4-bet all the way to all-in, having pocket pairs 66-99 or 4-bet calling with pocket TT-QQ. Having received KK+, you must make a 3-bet of your opponent's flat-calling, counting on the fact that thanks to the fan's infatuation with a bluff, such game can result in a profit in your favor. Decreasing the range of open-raise, 4-betting will be even with ”any two“ quite profitable if there are such rivals at the table.

The range is 25-30%

Broadway cards, cards of medium size, suited aces, selected suited connectors and pocket pairs - a list of a player's game having a range of 25-30% of the following open hands: 22+, A2s+, A7o+, K9o+, Q9s+, J9s+.

When using 3-betting against the previously specified range of the opponent, the player has the opportunity to force him to throw out some of the open-raises. Most likely, the opponent will support your 3-bet with 88+, AQ+, AJs and KQs. It should be noted that this is about 20% of the total number of starting hands and about 6% of the range, which he himself plays. Thus, a 3-bet can be very beneficial against a similar style of play. However, this does not mean that correctly defining the style of the game of your opponent, it immediately turns into a maniac and each time 3-bet. In this scenario, very high possibility that the opponent quickly determining the tendency and adjusting to the strategy of his opponent.

The poker player's range for value will be JJ+ and AK. Thanks to such cards, he can play 5-bet/all-in if his opponent defends against 3-bet. When the opponent chose a folding strategy or calling/4-bet on a very wide range, you should exclude JJ from your own list. In this scenario, QQ+ and AK will remain competitive.

When the broadway cards and suited aces will fit in for the game

Call against the player's range of 25-30%: 22-TT, A7s-A9s, AT-AQs, K9s-KQs, QTs-QJs. If you play against an opponent who often folds on 3-bet, folding with an AQ is more profitable for an open-raise. The same strategy worked well in the case of AJ, AT. For a successful game with an opponent to value in the position when the broadway cards will perfectly suit. If the opponent prefers to play a lot of dominant cards and draws, you will be able to float on a fairly large number of flops, getting in return banks. For example, QTs often dominate the opponent's draw in the case of suited connectors. In this situation, even getting one pair from the flop will provide much more prospects than the opponent's playing range.

As for suited aces A7s-A9s, they will prove promising on most flops. The most important advantage of the player will be the position. It will allow the participant of the game to manage the bankroll and ask for convenient rules of the game. Showdown is available only when the player finds that he is profitable for him.

What about the blinds?

Before acting on the button, you need to evaluate the blinds. If there is a fan of squeezes at the table, the player should better to refuse from such ambiguous hands as AT, K9s and QTs. At the same time, the squeezer will be a value opponent for floatation and subsequent back-raising with AK. Having encountered fish in the blinds, the player can use suited aces of the lower category. However, when the nuts draw with such aces, the fish will be able to recoup the previous unsuccessful visits in several times. In addition, it is important that the drawed range by the player from the button's position will not be stagnant. Remember that this position requires dynamics and logical thinking. And the use of the routine strategy in the game will not succeed.