88 from BTN facing a CO open — fold, call or 3-bet?
The answer
Call
flat in position
The math: 88 flats a wide cutoff open in position — realize equity and set-mine.
Why
Eights are a solid pair but not strong enough to want a huge pot against a cutoff's opening range. Calling in position keeps their weaker hands in, lets you outplay them after the flop, and flops a set about one time in eight for the times they have a big hand. Flat in position.
The spot
- Your seat
- BTN
- Stakes and stacks
- $1 / $2 · 100bb
- Your hand
- 8♠ 8♣
- Board
- Preflop — no board yet
- Pot
- POT · $8
- Action on you
- CO raises to $5
Every option
Foldgive it up
Why not: Folding a pocket pair with position against a wide cutoff open throws away a hand that flops sets and often holds as the best pair.
Callflat in positionCorrect
3-betre-raise
Why not: 3-betting eights is playable against a wide range, but flatting keeps the cutoff's weaker hands in, realizes your equity with position, and sets up the set-mine — a clean, lower-variance line.
The idea behind it
Position lets you flat medium-strength hands you'd fold out of position: you see every street last, realize your equity, and can call one bet and re-evaluate. Middle pairs love flatting in position.
Concept: Flat the raise
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.