47 Reference: Preflop Charts, Pot-Odds & MDF Tables
This chapter is built to be scanned, not read. It collects the numbers you will reach for most often at the table or in a study session into one place: preflop opening ranges, 3-bet and blind-defense guidance, a short-stack push/fold summary, the pot-odds-to-equity conversion, the MDF and value-to-bluff tables, a bet-sizing menu, and the rule of 2 and 4. The theory behind every figure is derived elsewhere in the book — here we just give you the cheat sheet. Bookmark this chapter and flip back to it constantly until the numbers live in your head.
A chart is a default, not a law. Every range and ratio below assumes roughly 100bb, standard rake, no antes, and a thinking-but-unknown opponent. Live games, deep stacks, ante formats, and big reads all push you off these numbers. Memorize the defaults so that your deviations are deliberate, not accidental.
47.1 1. Preflop RFI (Raise-First-In) by position
These are 6-max, ~100bb opening ranges. Raise or fold — limping is not part of an equilibrium RFI strategy outside specific small-blind constructions. Percentages are the share of all 1,326 starting combinations.
| Position | RFI % | Character |
|---|---|---|
| UTG | ~15–18% | Tight, value-dense |
| HJ | ~19–22% | Adds mid pairs, more suited connectors |
| CO | ~26–30% | Wide; most suited, all pairs |
| BTN | ~42–48% | Very wide; any pair, most suited, many offsuit gappers |
| SB | ~36–44% | Wide, raise-or-fold (some configs add a limp range) |
For full-ring (9-handed), the three early seats (UTG/UTG+1/UTG+2) all play near the 6-max UTG range or slightly tighter — roughly 10–15% — and the HJ/CO/BTN/blinds match the 6-max ranges above.
Reference ranges in text form
UTG (~15%):
- Pairs: 22+
- Suited aces: ATs+ (plus A5s–A2s as light balancing opens)
- Offsuit aces: AJo+
- Suited broadways: KTs+, QTs+, JTs
- Offsuit broadways: KQo (sometimes KJo)
- Suited connectors: down to ~98s/T9s
CO (~27%): everything UTG opens, plus:
- All suited aces A2s+, all suited kings K9s+, Q9s+, J9s+, T9s, 98s, 87s, 76s
- Offsuit broadways KJo, KTo, QJo, QTo, JTo, ATo
- Pairs 22+
BTN (~45%): open essentially any pair, any suited ace, any suited king, most suited queens/jacks down to Q6s/J7s, suited connectors and one-gappers down to 54s/64s, and a broad offsuit block — A2o+, K8o+, Q9o+, J9o+, T9o, 98o.
SB (~40%): because you are out of position the whole hand, play a raise-or-fold range close to the CO/BTN in strength but skewed toward hands that flop well heads-up. Open larger (3bb) to discourage cheap BB defense.
Open sizing
- Online 6-max, 100bb: 2.0–2.5bb from every seat (a flat 2.5bb is a fine simplification).
- SB: open larger, ~3bb.
- Live cash: 3–4bb (or “pot”) because live tables call wider; add ~1bb per limper ahead of you.
47.2 2. 3-Bet guidance
Two families of 3-bet exist:
- Linear / merged (value-heavy): used mostly vs. wide late-position opens and vs. weaker players who call too much. Just 3-bet your best hands for value.
- Polarized (value + air): the GTO default vs. a tight open. Strong value at the top (QQ+, AK) plus low-equity bluffs (suited wheel aces, suited gappers) that have blockers and play well when called, while the middle of your range flats.
Typical 3-bet sizing:
- In position (e.g., BTN vs. CO): ~3x the open (open 2.5bb → 3-bet to ~7.5bb).
- Out of position (e.g., SB/BB vs. BTN): ~4x the open (open 2.5bb → 3-bet to ~10–11bb), because you want to deny the caller’s positional advantage and good price.
| Scenario | 3-bet % of total hands (typical) |
|---|---|
| BB vs. BTN open | ~9–13% |
| SB vs. BTN open | ~9–14% (3-bet or fold) |
| CO vs. UTG open | ~4–6% |
| BTN vs. CO open | ~7–10% |
Polarized 3-bet bluffs to know: A5s–A2s and A5o/A4o (wheel blockers, unblock folds), KXs blockers (K9s–K5s), suited one-gappers and broadways that don’t quite make the flat (KJs/QJs as value, T9s/97s as bluffs depending on opener).
47.3 3. Blind defense (facing a steal)
The big blind already has 1bb invested and closes the action, so it defends very wide — but “defend” splits into flat and 3-bet.
| Facing | BB total defense (call + 3-bet) |
|---|---|
| BTN open 2.5bb | ~40–50% |
| CO open 2.5bb | ~30–38% |
| UTG open 2.5bb | ~20–26% |
BB defense frequency is driven by price (you are getting a discount because of your dead blind) and position (you’ll be out of position postflop, which pulls the number back down). Against a min-raise you defend close to MDF; against a 3–4bb open you tighten considerably. Suited and connected hands flat happily; offsuit junk that flops poorly is folded even at a tempting price.
The SB facing a steal has no such discount once you account for being out of position to the BB behind, so the SB generally plays 3-bet or fold, flatting only a small, strong, mostly-suited slice (or none at all online).
47.4 4. Nash push/fold summary (short stacks, ≤ ~15bb)
When stacks get short — late in tournaments, especially with antes — open-raising leaves you pot-committed, so the game collapses to shove or fold. The Nash equilibrium ranges below are for the open-shover (heads-up or as the first-in raiser); they widen with antes and with fewer players left to act. Use them as a backbone, then tighten when ICM pressure is severe (see the ICM and short-stack chapters).
Approximate first-in jam range by stack depth (effective, with antes), from late position:
| Stack (bb) | BTN jam | SB jam | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | ~30–40% | ~40–55% | Still some fold equity; tight from early seats |
| 10 | ~38–48% | ~50–60% | Most pairs, most aces, many suited |
| 7 | ~45–55% | ~55–70% | Wide; any ace, any pair, most suited |
| 5 | ~50–65% | ~65–80% | Very wide; folding becomes the bigger error |
| 3 | ~70%+ | ~80%+ | Approaching any-two from the SB |
Calling a shove is much tighter than shoving it. A rough heads-up call-off guide (BB vs. SB jam):
| Stack (bb) | BB call range |
|---|---|
| 15 | ~22+, A9o+/A7s+, KQ — roughly 18–22% |
| 10 | ~22+, A7o+/A2s+, KJo+ — roughly 25–30% |
| 5 | any pair, any ace, K7o+, most suited — roughly 45%+ |
Nash charts assume the chip is worth its face value (a chipEV model). In a real tournament with pay jumps, ICM makes both shoving and especially calling tighter — sometimes dramatically so near a bubble or final-table pay jump. Do not call off a Nash-correct-looking spot if busting costs you a pay jump and the math hasn’t accounted for it.
47.5 5. Pot odds → required equity
When you face a bet, you are being offered a price. The required equity to call is the fraction of the final pot your call contributes:
\[ \text{Required equity} = \frac{\text{call}}{\text{pot after you call}} = \frac{B}{P + 2B} \]
where \(P\) is the pot before the bet and \(B\) is the amount you must call. Equivalently, by bet-as-fraction-of-pot:
| Bet size (× pot) | You must call… | Required equity to call |
|---|---|---|
| 0.25× | small | ~16.7% |
| 0.33× | ~20.0% | |
| 0.50× | ~25.0% | |
| 0.66× | ~28.5% | |
| 0.75× | ~30.0% | |
| 1.0× (pot) | ~33.3% | |
| 1.5× | ~37.5% | |
| 2.0× (overbet) | ~40.0% |
How to read it: facing a half-pot bet you need 25% equity to break even on a call; facing a pot-sized bet you need 33%. Bigger bets demand more equity. This is the single most useful table in the book — internalize it.
For each size, restate the threshold as a hand class. Facing a half-pot river bet (need 25%), a hand that wins 1 in 4 is exactly break-even. If you hold a bluff-catcher you estimate beats 35% of their betting range, that’s a clear call. If it beats only 20%, it’s a fold. Practice converting “what does this beat?” into a number until it’s instant.
47.6 6. MDF & value-to-bluff ratios by bet size
The flip side of pot odds. Minimum Defense Frequency (MDF) is how often the defender must continue so a pure bluff can’t auto-profit; the value-to-bluff ratio is how the bettor balances so a bluff-catcher is indifferent.
\[ \alpha = \frac{B}{P+B}, \qquad \text{MDF} = 1-\alpha = \frac{P}{P+B} \]
| Bet size (× pot) | MDF (defender continues) | Bluffs as % of betting range | Value : Bluff |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.25× | 80% | ~16.7% | ~5 : 1 |
| 0.33× | 75% | ~20% | ~4 : 1 |
| 0.50× | 67% | ~25% | ~3 : 1 |
| 0.66× | 60% | ~28.5% | ~2.5 : 1 |
| 0.75× | 57% | ~30% | ~2.3 : 1 |
| 1.0× (pot) | 50% | ~33% | ~2 : 1 |
| 1.5× | 40% | ~37.5% | ~1.67 : 1 |
| 2.0× (overbet) | 33% | ~40% | ~1.5 : 1 |
Bigger bets get to bluff more often, and require the defender to fold more often. A pot bet is balanced at 2 value : 1 bluff and the defender folds half. An overbet of 2× pot is balanced at 1.5 : 1 and the defender folds two-thirds. These two tables (pot-odds and MDF) are mirror images: the equity you need to call equals the fraction of their range that is bluffs at balance.
Two practical cautions on MDF:
- MDF is a bettor-discipline check, most relevant on the river and against unknown opponents. On earlier streets, defend by equity and playability, not by hitting an exact MDF number.
- Against opponents who under-bluff (most live players, most low stakes), you are free to fold below MDF — overfolding only loses to a balanced opponent, and they aren’t one. MDF protects you from being exploited; it is not an obligation to call station-style.
47.7 7. Common bet-sizing guide
A menu of standard sizes and when each is right. Sizes are fractions of the current pot.
| Situation | Typical size | Why |
|---|---|---|
| C-bet, dry/static board (K-7-2r) | 25–33% | Range bet; deny equity cheaply, you’re rarely outdrawn |
| C-bet, dynamic/wet board (J-T-8ss) | 66–75% | Charge draws, build pot with your strong hands |
| Turn barrel (value or continued pressure) | 66–100% | Polarize; deny equity, set up river |
| River value bet (thin) | 33–50% | Get called by worse |
| River value/bluff (polarized) | 75–125% | Max value from strong hands, max fold equity for bluffs |
| Overbet (nut-heavy or capped opp.) | 1.25–2× | Leverage a range advantage / deny correct calls |
| Preflop open (online) | 2–2.5bb | Risk little to win the blinds |
| Preflop open (live) | 3–4bb + 1/limper | Charge loose callers |
| 3-bet IP | 3× the open | |
| 3-bet OOP | 4× the open | Deny position/price to the caller |
Sizing should be a function of board texture and range shape, not your hand. Bet the same size with your value and your bluffs on a given texture; let the texture (and how it favors your range vs. theirs) pick the size. The moment your bet size tells the table whether you’re strong, you’ve created a leak observant opponents will mine.
47.8 8. The rule of 2 and 4
A fast way to turn outs into equity without a solver.
- On the flop, with two cards to come: equity ≈ outs × 4.
- On the flop or turn, with one card to come: equity ≈ outs × 2.
| Draw | Outs | Flop (×4) | One card (×2) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gutshot | 4 | ~16% | ~8% |
| Flush draw | 9 | ~36% | ~18% |
| Open-ended straight draw | 8 | ~32% | ~16% |
| Flush + gutshot | 12 | ~48% | ~24% |
| Open-ended + flush (combo) | 15 | ~54%* | ~30% |
| Two overcards | 6 | ~24% | ~12% |
| Set → full house/quads | 7 | ~28% | ~14% |
*The ×4 rule slightly overcounts above ~8 outs (you can’t double-count the same card twice); for big draws (13+ outs) subtract a couple of points — 15 outs is really ~54%, not 60%.
Memorize three anchor numbers: flush draw ≈ 36% (flop) / 18% (one card), OESD ≈ 32% / 16%, gutshot ≈ 16% / 8%. From those three you can reconstruct almost any spot by adding or subtracting outs.
47.9 9. Worked example: tying it all together
You hold 9 8 in the BB. BTN opens to 2.5bb; you’re in the defense range (suited connector, great price) so you call. Pot is now ~5.5bb.
Flop: T 7 2 (one heart). You check, BTN c-bets 2bb into 5.5bb (~36% pot).
- Pot odds: you must call 2 to win a final pot of 5.5 + 2 + 2 = 9.5, so call 2 into 9.5 → required equity ≈ 21%.
- Your equity: open-ended straight draw (J or 6 makes the straight) = 8 outs. By the rule of 2, ≈ 16% raw with one card — but you have two cards to come if you continue, and you also pick up a backdoor flush and two overcards’ worth of additional outs. Realistically you’re around 30%+ equity to improve or take it away.
- Decision: 30%+ equity vs. a 21% threshold is a clear continue. With a strong draw and position-denial value, raising is also viable — but a call keeps BTN’s bluffs in.
Turn: J — you make the nut straight. Pot is ~9.5bb; effective stacks ~95bb. Now flip to the sizing and value/bluff logic: this is a dynamic board where you want value from worse straights, two-pair, and sets, and you have a range/nut advantage as the caller who just hit. A 66–75% pot bet (or a check-raise if BTN bets) is standard; you are betting for value and, on this size, balance would pair each ~3 value combos with ~1 bluff if you were the one constructing a range.
River blank (2x): if you bet ~75% pot for value, recall the MDF table — BTN must defend ~57% of their range, and they’ll call with the worse straights, sets, and two-pair you’re targeting. If they instead jam a 1.5× pot overbet at you, your 9 8 is now a bluff-catcher: a 1.5× bet means you need ~37.5% equity, so you call only if you beat at least 37.5% of their jamming range — a read-dependent decision the pot-odds table just framed for you.
This is the whole point of a reference chapter: a single hand pulls in RFI ranges, blind defense, the rule of 2, pot-odds-to-equity, sizing, and MDF — and every number you needed was on the page in front of you.
47.10 10. One-page summary
- Pot odds: half-pot → need 25%; pot → need 33%; 2× pot → need 40%.
- MDF: half-pot → defend 67%; pot → defend 50%; 2× pot → defend 33%.
- Value:bluff at balance: half-pot → 3:1; pot → 2:1; 2× pot → 1.5:1.
- Rule of 2 and 4: flush draw ≈ 36/18, OESD ≈ 32/16, gutshot ≈ 16/8.
- Opens: ~2.5bb online, 3–4bb live. 3-bets: 3× IP, 4× OOP.
- RFI: UTG ~15%, CO ~27%, BTN ~45%, SB ~40%.
- Short stacks: ≤15bb → shove/fold; shove wide, call tight, tighten further for ICM.
Keep this page reachable until the day you stop needing it — which is the day you’ve truly learned the material.