Preflop Raising Range from the Small Blind Position in a Cash Game (100BB Deep)

The Small Blind (SB) is challenging because you’ll be out of position (OOP) post-flop against every opponent except the Big Blind. Your preflop-raising strategy needs to balance aggression and discipline to compensate for this disadvantage. The goal is to apply pressure on the Big Blind (BB) and avoid playing with marginal hands OOP.

Small Blind Preflop Raising Strategy

The raising range from the SB depends on whether:

1. Everyone Has Folded to You (Open-Raising): You aim to steal the blinds or isolate the BB.
2. Facing a Limp: You raise to punish limpers and take control.
3. Facing a Raise: You can either 3-bet or fold/call depending on the strength of your hand and the raiser’s tendencies.

1. Open-Raising Range (First to Act from the Small Blind):

From the SB, your range needs to be tighter than the Button (BTN) but wider than earlier positions since only the BB is left to act. Here’s a suggested open-raising range:

Premium Hands (Always Raise):

• Pocket Pairs:

  • AA, KK, QQ, JJ, TT
    • Raise for maximum value and to build the pot.

• Broadway Combos:

  • AKs, AKo, AQs, AQo
    • Strong hands that dominate calling ranges.

Strong Hands (Value Raise):

• Pocket Pairs:

  • 99, 88, 77, 66
    • Raise to thin the field and set up favorable post-flop play.

• Suited Broadways:

  • KQs, KJs, QJs, ATs, AJs
    • Playable hands with good equity and post-flop playability.

Speculative Hands (Range Expansion):

• Pocket Pairs:

  • 55, 44, 33, 22
    • Raise for set-mining or pressure against a weak BB.

• Suited Aces:

  • A5s, A4s, A3s, A2s
    • Great for flush draws, straight draws, and semi-bluffing.

• Suited Connectors:

  • T9s, 98s, 87s, 76s, 65s, 54s
    • Balanced aggressive plays with strong board coverage.

• Suited One-Gappers:

  • J9s, T8s, 97s, 86s
    • Playable when BB is passive or folds frequently to steals.

Bluffing Hands (Occasional Raises):

• Offsuit Broadways:
  • A9o, KJo, QJo
    • Raise selectively against weak BBs.

2. Facing a Limp in the Small Blind:

When there are limpers, your range tightens, but you should raise aggressively to discourage multi-way pots and play heads-up with the limper. A good raising range includes:

• Premium Hands: AA, KK, QQ, AKs, AKo, AQs
• Value Hands: JJ, TT, 99, KQs, KJs, ATs
• Speculative Hands: Suited Aces (A5s–A2s), Suited Connectors (T9s–76s)

Raise sizing should be larger than normal to isolate the limper:

• Raise 6x the BB + 1BB for each limper.

3. Facing a Raise in the Small Blind:

When facing a raise, your decision to 3-bet or call depends on the raiser’s position, sizing, and tendencies. Here’s a suggested 3-bet range:

3-Betting for Value:

• Premium Hands: AA, KK, QQ, AKs, AKo
• Strong Hands: JJ, TT, AQs

Polarized 3-Betting Range (Include Bluffs):

• Suited Aces: A5s, A4s
• Suited Broadways: KQs, KJs
• Speculative Hands: T9s, JTs (as semi-bluffs)

When 3-betting, use a larger sizing (4x to 5x the initial raise) to apply maximum pressure, as you’ll be OOP post-flop.

Visualized Small Blind Raising Range (Open-Raising):

Raise Sizing from the Small Blind:

• Open-Raising (vs BB): 5x the BB.
  • A larger sizing discourages the BB from calling with marginal hands.
• Against Limpers: 6x BB + 1BB per limper.
• Facing a Raise: 3-bet to 6x the raise amount.

Adjustments Based on Opponent Types:

1. Tight Big Blind:

   • Expand your raising range to include more speculative hands (e.g., suited connectors, low-suited aces).

2. Aggressive Big Blind:

   • Tighten your raising range to hands that can withstand 3-bets (e.g., premium pairs, broadways, and strong-suited aces).

3. Passive Big Blind:

   • Raise more frequently with medium-strength hands (e.g., suited connectors, small pocket pairs) as they are less likely to 3-bet and can be exploited post-flop.

Key Considerations for Small Blind Play:

1. Postflop Position Disadvantage: Avoid playing too many speculative hands OOP unless your opponent is passive.
2. Pressure the Big Blind: Many players fold their BB too often, making aggression profitable.
3. Balance Your Range: Mix strong hands and bluffs to prevent opponents from exploiting predictable play.

Conclusion:

From the Small Blind, a well-planned raising strategy balances aggression and discipline. Focus on applying pressure to the Big Blind with a mix of strong hands, speculative hands, and well-timed bluffs. Adjust your range based on opponent tendencies, and remember to play cautiously postflop to mitigate your positional disadvantage.