22 from SB, first in — fold, call or raise?
The answer
Raise
raise it up
The math: The Small Blind opens 22+. Every pair is a raise heads-up.
Why
Heads-up against the Big Blind, even deuces are worth an open: you win the pot outright often, and when called you hold a pair with set potential. The mistake is completing — from the Small Blind it’s raise or fold.
The spot
- Your seat
- SB
- Stakes and stacks
- $1 / $2 · 100bb
- Your hand
- 2♠ 2♥
- Board
- Preflop — no board yet
- Pot
- POT · $3
- Action on you
- Folds to you
Every option
Foldgive up the hand
Why not: Any pair opens from the Small Blind heads-up — folding deuces is far too tight.
Callcomplete for $1
Why not: Completing gives the Big Blind a free flop in position; raise to take it down or lead the hand.
Raiseraise it upCorrect
3bb · $6 · 3.5bb · $7 · 4bb · $8
The idea behind it
Small-blind ranges are wide because only one player remains. But position is bad, so the wide range is a raising range, not a limping one.
Concept: Blind steals
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.