PREFLOP CHART · ~14% of hands · polarized
BB 3-bet range vs BTN open — 100bb cash
Facing a BTN open from the big blind, the GTO solution at 100bb is to 3-bet about 14% of hands. The range is polarized: a value portion (TT+, AQs+, AKo) and a bluff portion of suited hands that play well when called (A5s-A2s wheel suiteds, K9s-K7s, suited connectors like 54s, 65s). The middle of your range — small pairs, weaker broadways, suited Kx — mostly flats rather than 3-bets.
Range — the hands you play
- Value: TT+, AQs+, AKo, AQo (sometimes)
- Bluff suited wheel aces: A5s, A4s, A3s, A2s
- Bluff suited kings: K9s – K6s (mixed)
- Bluff suited connectors: 65s, 54s, 76s (mixed)
Mixed-frequency hands
99, 88, AJs, KQs, ATs (mostly flat)
Key insights
- Why suited wheel aces? They block AA / AK in BTN's value range and play well postflop with nut-straight potential.
- Don't 3-bet middling suited connectors (T9s, 98s) — they're better as flats because they realize equity well as the caller.
- Sizing: 9bb-10bb is standard (~3.5x the BTN open). Bigger sizes shrink your bluff range; smaller sizes invite too many flats.
Frequently asked
Why polarized rather than linear?
BB is out of position postflop, so 3-betting medium-strength hands (like KJo or 88) creates a tough spot in 3-bet pots OOP with marginal equity. Polarizing — only the strongest hands and the suited bluffs that maximize fold equity + postflop playability — performs better than a 'linear' range that includes those medium hands.
What about 4-bet defense from BB after BTN 4-bets?
5-bet jam: QQ+, AKs. Call: AKo, sometimes JJ. Fold everything else, including the suited bluffs.