Open-Raise

The open-raise is the most fundamental preflop action and the starting point for all preflop range construction. When it folds to you and no one has yet entered the pot, your decision to raise, limp, or fold defines your entire preflop strategy. In modern MTT poker, open-limping (just calling the big blind) is almost never correct from positions other than the Small Blind. Open-raising is preferred because it applies pressure, gives you the initiative, and allows you to win the pot immediately if everyone folds. The sizing of your open-raise matters. In MTTs, the standard open-raise size has decreased over the years. At 100bb deep, a 2.2x to 2.5x big blind raise is typical. This smaller sizing risks fewer chips on steals while still accomplishing the goal of isolating the field. As stacks get shorter, open sizes decrease further to 2x or even the minimum raise. From the Small Blind, a larger raise (2.5x to 3x) is common because you will be out of position postflop. Your open-raising range for each position is the cornerstone of your preflop strategy. It determines how many pots you enter, how aggressively you compete for blinds, and how much fold equity you have. Wider ranges from late positions capture more dead money, while tighter ranges from early positions avoid difficult postflop situations. The transition from open-raise strategy to push-fold strategy occurs at around 15-20bb, where the math favors shoving over standard raising for many hands. Recognizing this transition point and switching to the correct strategy at the right stack depth is a key tournament skill.