A9o from CO, first in — fold, call or raise?
The answer
Raise
open-raise
The math: The Cutoff opens A8o+. Ace-nine offsuit is one rung above the boundary.
Why
Only three players remain, and A9o blocks strong aces while making useful top pairs. Since this chart already includes A8o at the floor, A9o is a comfortable late-position open rather than the closest edge.
The spot
- Your seat
- CO
- Stakes and stacks
- $1 / $2 · 100bb
- Your hand
- A♦ 9♣
- Board
- Preflop — no board yet
- Pot
- POT · $3
- Action on you
- Folds to you
Every option
Foldgive up the hand
Why not: The Cutoff opens offsuit aces from A8o up, so folding A9o would be too tight.
Calllimp in
Why not: Limping an offsuit ace gives up initiative and plays a domination-prone hand passively.
Raiseopen-raiseCorrect
2bb · $4 · 2.5bb · $5 · 3bb · $6
The idea behind it
Offsuit aces open later than their suited cousins because they lack flush potential. Knowing each seat’s exact cutoff keeps the range honest.
Concept: Range edges
Terms in this spot
Play it instead of reading it
The trainer deals this hand with hints, grading and spaced repetition — and randomized variations of it once you have seen it.