Key Principles of Playing from the Cutoff
Playing from the Cutoff is one of the most important and challenging aspects of preflop strategy, especially for beginner players. It’s crucial to consider various dynamic factors in each hand and make precise decisions. A well-constructed game plan from this position can significantly increase your overall win rate, while mistakes can be costly.
In this article, we will cover the key aspects of playing from the Cutoff, which will help you understand this position better and extract maximum value from it.
Table of Contents:
- Position Characteristics and Win Rate
Position Characteristics and Win Rate
The Cutoff is one of the most strategically rich positions. On the one hand, it is a late position, allowing you to play a wider range of hands compared to early positions. You can observe the actions of most players at the table and adjust your decisions accordingly.
On the other hand, it’s important to remember that after you, the Button and both Blinds will still act. You shouldn’t play too loose because if the player on the Button decides to enter the hand, they will have a positional advantage over you postflop.
Despite these challenges, the Cutoff is the second most profitable position at the poker table after the Button.
In Hand2Note 4 multi-player reports, I selected the best players who showed an overall expected win rate of more than 5 bb/100 over at least 1,000 hands:
In the “Positions” report, we see that their win rate on the Cutoff is 29 bb/100. If your corresponding indicator is significantly lower, you should definitely review your game from this position.
Open Raises
Your open raise range should take into account the number of opponents who will act after you. When you’re on the Cutoff, there are three opponents left to act, and the probability that one of them will have a premium hand is higher than when you’re playing from the Button or Small Blind.
When planning an open raise, it’s crucial to consider who is sitting on the Button. If it’s a tight player who is not inclined to 3-bet without a very strong hand, you can afford to open wider. In such a case, you will either take down the blinds or get a call from the Blinds, allowing you to play postflop in position and with the initiative, which is a very favorable scenario for you.
We have A9 offsuit on the Cutoff, and all players before us have folded. This hand is not included in the standard open raise range, but Hand2Note 4 HUD shows us that the Button player is a nit with a VPIP of 15%, a PFR of 12%, and a 3-bet of 3.9%.
In this situation, raising with our hand will be a profitable decision. The opponent on the Button will rarely resist us, so it’s beneficial to expand our range.
Conversely, if there is a loose-aggressive player on the Button, your approach should change. You should narrow your opening range to be able to effectively defend against frequent 3-bets. Even if such an opponent just calls your raise, you will have to play the entire hand out of position, which will make it significantly more challenging for you.
Analyze the Button player’s statistic and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Cold Calls and 3-Bets
When someone raises before you, it’s important to act cautiously from the Cutoff. Players usually open with a narrow range from early positions, so you shouldn’t 3-bet with just a random hand. Include only the strongest hands in your 3-bet range, and for bluffs, choose high cards with the best blockers to your opponent’s premium holdings.
Standard 3-Bet Range: CO vs EP
Cold calls are more suitable for hands like medium pocket pairs and suited connectors. These hands are not strong enough for a 3-bet but are easy to play in position and will be profitable in the long run.
Special attention should be paid to situations where a fish is sitting behind you. In this case, you should seriously consider slow playing and just calling the raise, even with a strong hand, to invite the fish into the pot.
Fish are the main source of income in poker. In a single-raised pot, a fish will enter with many weak hands, but they will often fold to a 3-bet, not closing the action. So, analyze the table composition and choose the optimal actions to maximize your potential winnings.
A nit opens from the Middle Position and we have pocket Aces on the Cutoff. Of course, the default play would be to 3-bet with the best possible hand preflop, but this is not always the best play.
In the HUD, we can see that the initial raiser folds to 3-bets 75% of the time. At the same time, there’s a fish on the big blind with a VPIP of 55%.
This is a good spot to cold call with our monster hand and lure the recreational player into the pot. This way, we give them a chance to connect with the flop and pay off our postflop bets with a weaker hand, whereas with a 3-bet, we would likely take down the pot preflop and win only the minimum.
Defending Against 3-Bets
When facing a 3-bet, it’s essential to consider the opponent’s position. If the 3-bet comes from the Button, you should defend tighter and fold more hands to avoid playing postflop out of position and without the initiative. Remember, this is the most unprofitable scenario in poker.
However, if you’re 3-bet from the blinds, you can defend a wider range. You will have a positional advantage postflop, allowing you to realize your hand’s potential better.
When you open from a late position, opponents expect you to have a wide range, and their 3-bet range will also be wider. Against loose 3-bettors, the correct adjustment is to expand your 4-bet range.
First and foremost, play 4-bet with AK. It’s a strong but unmade hand, so it’s more profitable to take down the pot preflop. The wider the opponent’s 3-bet range, the more often they will have to fold to your 4-bet. And if they do decide to continue, AK will still fare well against their range.
In Hand2Note 4 reports, I filtered situations where I opened with AK from the Cutoff and then 4-bet facing an opponent’s 3-bet:
Comparing Action Profit indicators, we see that with a 4-bet, I win an average of 3.5 bb per hand, while calling a 3-bet with AK, I lose 0.4 bb in each such situation.
Playing from the Cutoff requires you to be attentive, consider many factors in each hand, and adapt to the playing styles of your opponents. Your win rate from this position will depend on how quickly you can adjust to changing table dynamics and make well-considered decisions.
Using Hand2Note 4 will help you analyze your opponents’ statistics and identify weaknesses in their game. This will give you the opportunity to better understand your opponents’ tendencies, exploit their mistakes, and make optimal decisions from the Cutoff.
Key Principles of Playing from the Cutoff
Playing from the Cutoff is one of the most important and challenging aspects of preflop strategy, especially for beginner players. It’s crucial to consider various dynamic factors in each hand and make precise decisions. A well-constructed game plan from this position can significantly increase your overall win rate, while mistakes can be costly.
In this article, we will cover the key aspects of playing from the Cutoff, which will help you understand this position better and extract maximum value from it.
Table of Contents:
- Position Characteristics and Win Rate
Position Characteristics and Win Rate
The Cutoff is one of the most strategically rich positions. On the one hand, it is a late position, allowing you to play a wider range of hands compared to early positions. You can observe the actions of most players at the table and adjust your decisions accordingly.
On the other hand, it’s important to remember that after you, the Button and both Blinds will still act. You shouldn’t play too loose because if the player on the Button decides to enter the hand, they will have a positional advantage over you postflop.
Despite these challenges, the Cutoff is the second most profitable position at the poker table after the Button.
In Hand2Note 4 multi-player reports, I selected the best players who showed an overall expected win rate of more than 5 bb/100 over at least 1,000 hands:
In the “Positions” report, we see that their win rate on the Cutoff is 29 bb/100. If your corresponding indicator is significantly lower, you should definitely review your game from this position.
Open Raises
Your open raise range should take into account the number of opponents who will act after you. When you’re on the Cutoff, there are three opponents left to act, and the probability that one of them will have a premium hand is higher than when you’re playing from the Button or Small Blind.
When planning an open raise, it’s crucial to consider who is sitting on the Button. If it’s a tight player who is not inclined to 3-bet without a very strong hand, you can afford to open wider. In such a case, you will either take down the blinds or get a call from the Blinds, allowing you to play postflop in position and with the initiative, which is a very favorable scenario for you.
We have A9 offsuit on the Cutoff, and all players before us have folded. This hand is not included in the standard open raise range, but Hand2Note 4 HUD shows us that the Button player is a nit with a VPIP of 15%, a PFR of 12%, and a 3-bet of 3.9%.
In this situation, raising with our hand will be a profitable decision. The opponent on the Button will rarely resist us, so it’s beneficial to expand our range.
Conversely, if there is a loose-aggressive player on the Button, your approach should change. You should narrow your opening range to be able to effectively defend against frequent 3-bets. Even if such an opponent just calls your raise, you will have to play the entire hand out of position, which will make it significantly more challenging for you.
Analyze the Button player’s statistic and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Cold Calls and 3-Bets
When someone raises before you, it’s important to act cautiously from the Cutoff. Players usually open with a narrow range from early positions, so you shouldn’t 3-bet with just a random hand. Include only the strongest hands in your 3-bet range, and for bluffs, choose high cards with the best blockers to your opponent’s premium holdings.
Standard 3-Bet Range: CO vs EP
Cold calls are more suitable for hands like medium pocket pairs and suited connectors. These hands are not strong enough for a 3-bet but are easy to play in position and will be profitable in the long run.
Special attention should be paid to situations where a fish is sitting behind you. In this case, you should seriously consider slow playing and just calling the raise, even with a strong hand, to invite the fish into the pot.
Fish are the main source of income in poker. In a single-raised pot, a fish will enter with many weak hands, but they will often fold to a 3-bet, not closing the action. So, analyze the table composition and choose the optimal actions to maximize your potential winnings.
A nit opens from the Middle Position and we have pocket Aces on the Cutoff. Of course, the default play would be to 3-bet with the best possible hand preflop, but this is not always the best play.
In the HUD, we can see that the initial raiser folds to 3-bets 75% of the time. At the same time, there’s a fish on the big blind with a VPIP of 55%.
This is a good spot to cold call with our monster hand and lure the recreational player into the pot. This way, we give them a chance to connect with the flop and pay off our postflop bets with a weaker hand, whereas with a 3-bet, we would likely take down the pot preflop and win only the minimum.
Defending Against 3-Bets
When facing a 3-bet, it’s essential to consider the opponent’s position. If the 3-bet comes from the Button, you should defend tighter and fold more hands to avoid playing postflop out of position and without the initiative. Remember, this is the most unprofitable scenario in poker.
However, if you’re 3-bet from the blinds, you can defend a wider range. You will have a positional advantage postflop, allowing you to realize your hand’s potential better.
When you open from a late position, opponents expect you to have a wide range, and their 3-bet range will also be wider. Against loose 3-bettors, the correct adjustment is to expand your 4-bet range.
First and foremost, play 4-bet with AK. It’s a strong but unmade hand, so it’s more profitable to take down the pot preflop. The wider the opponent’s 3-bet range, the more often they will have to fold to your 4-bet. And if they do decide to continue, AK will still fare well against their range.
In Hand2Note 4 reports, I filtered situations where I opened with AK from the Cutoff and then 4-bet facing an opponent’s 3-bet:
Comparing Action Profit indicators, we see that with a 4-bet, I win an average of 3.5 bb per hand, while calling a 3-bet with AK, I lose 0.4 bb in each such situation.
Playing from the Cutoff requires you to be attentive, consider many factors in each hand, and adapt to the playing styles of your opponents. Your win rate from this position will depend on how quickly you can adjust to changing table dynamics and make well-considered decisions.
Using Hand2Note 4 will help you analyze your opponents’ statistics and identify weaknesses in their game. This will give you the opportunity to better understand your opponents’ tendencies, exploit their mistakes, and make optimal decisions from the Cutoff.
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