J8o from SB, first in — fold, call or raise?
The answer
Raise
raise it up
The math: The raise-or-fold Small Blind chart opens J8o+. Jack-eight is the boundary hand.
Why
Only the Big Blind remains, so the Small Blind must attack much wider than an early seat. J8o is not a strong hand, but it has enough high-card equity and fold equity to raise at this chart’s boundary. Use the larger blind-versus-blind size shown here.
The spot
- Your seat
- SB
- Stakes and stacks
- $1 / $2 · 100bb
- Your hand
- J♥ 8♠
- Board
- Preflop — no board yet
- Pot
- POT · $3
- Action on you
- Folds to you
Every option
Foldgive up the hand
Why not: J8o is the offsuit-jack floor in this raise-or-fold Small Blind chart. Folding gives the Big Blind a free walk too often.
Callcomplete for $1
Why not: A complete can exist in a solver strategy, but this trainer uses one simpler branch. Keep the range coherent and raise rather than limp.
Raiseraise it upCorrect
3bb · $6 · 3.5bb · $7 · 4bb · $8
The idea behind it
Removing the limp branch makes the raising range wider, not tighter. This trainer’s simplified Small Blind strategy raises about 42% and folds the rest.
Concept: Steal wide, raise only
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.