Folding feels safe because T♠ 9♠ isn't a premium hand, so tossing it looks harmless. But that's the wrong instinct here: at 10bb it wins the blinds uncontested most of the time, and when it does get called, being suited and connected lets it make straights and flushes to stay alive. Too much value to throw away.

T9s from SB with 10bb — push or fold?

Q: T9s from SB with 10bb — push or fold?

Push. At 10 big blinds you can't raise small and fold to pressure — that just bleeds chips. So it's shove or fold. T♠ 9♠ is a great shove: most of the time everyone folds and you pocket the blinds for free. And when someone does call, being suited and connected means you flop straights and flushes often enough to keep fighting. That mix of fold equity and playability makes this an easy jam. Push.

The answer

Push

all-in

The math: 10bb · shove or fold. a suited connector is a clear jam.

Why

At 10 big blinds you can't raise small and fold to pressure — that just bleeds chips. So it's shove or fold. T♠ 9♠ is a great shove: most of the time everyone folds and you pocket the blinds for free. And when someone does call, being suited and connected means you flop straights and flushes often enough to keep fighting. That mix of fold equity and playability makes this an easy jam. Push.

The spot

POT · 1,500

preflop

Folded to you

T♠

9♠

500 / 1,000 · 10bb

Your seat: SB
Stakes and stacks: 500 / 1,000 · 10bb
Your hand: T♠ 9♠
Board: Preflop — no board yet
Pot: POT · 1,500
Action on you: Folded to you

Every option

Foldlet it go
Why not: Folding feels safe because T♠ 9♠ isn't a premium hand, so tossing it looks harmless. But that's the wrong instinct here: at 10bb it wins the blinds uncontested most of the time, and when it does get called, being suited and connected lets it make straights and flushes to stay alive. Too much value to throw away.
Pushall-inCorrect

The idea behind it

Under about 15 big blinds it's push-or-fold: you shove all-in or fold, because there's no stack left to play a real pot after the flop. Suited connectors belong in that shoving range — they steal the blinds outright, and when called they still make straights and flushes to stay live.

Concept: Push or fold

See the glossary Read the methodology

Terms in this spot

All-in ICM

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.