Opening from the Cutoff in MTTs

The Cutoff is where profitable poker really opens up. At 100bb in a 6-Max MTT, a standard CO opening range is approximately 27-32%% of hands. That is nearly double the UTG range, and the jump reflects just how much positional advantage matters in poker. From the CO, you only face three opponents: the Button, Small Blind, and Big Blind. The Button is the only player with position on you postflop, and the blinds play out of position. This means the majority of hands you play from the CO will either be heads-up in position or against the blinds, both favorable scenarios. The CO range includes everything from earlier positions plus a significant expansion. Suited aces extend all the way down to A2s. Suited connectors include 76s, 65s, and 54s. Offsuit broadways open to include KJo, QJo, and sometimes KTo. Suited kings extend to K8s or K7s. Small suited gappers like 86s and 75s also enter the range. This widening works because the math favors aggression from the CO. When you raise and the Button, SB, and BB all fold, you win 1.5bb uncontested. That dead money subsidizes the times you get called or 3-bet. If opponents fold to your CO raise even 50%% of the time, many marginal hands become automatically profitable. One critical aspect of CO play is adjusting to the Button player. If the Button is a frequent 3-bettor, you should tighten slightly and focus on hands that defend well against 3-bets. If the Button is passive, you can open even wider than the standard range. Blind defense tendencies also matter. Against tight blinds, widen your steals. Against blinds who defend aggressively, tighten toward value hands. RangerPro's CO range at 100bb shows a well-populated matrix. When you compare it side by side with the UTG range in the range builder, the expansion is visually striking, with suited hands filling out across the board and many more offsuit combinations appearing. At shorter stacks, the CO range adjusts. At 40-50bb, the range stays wide because steal equity remains high. At 25bb, you can still open about 25-28%% but should be prepared for reshoves from the blinds. Below 15bb, the CO push-fold range expands to roughly 30-40%% of hands, making it one of the most aggressive shoving positions.