Opening from UTG in MTTs
Under the Gun is the most demanding position at a 6-Max table. With five players left to act behind you, your opening range must be tight and composed of hands that perform well even when called or 3-bet. This guide breaks down exactly which hands to open from UTG across all stack depths.
UTG is where discipline wins tournaments. In a 6-Max MTT at 100bb effective stacks, the standard UTG open-raise range is approximately 15-18%% of hands. That translates to roughly 200 combos out of the 1,326 possible starting hands. The core of the UTG range is premium pairs and strong broadways. You should always open AA through 22, though the smallest pairs (22-55) are marginal and depend on table dynamics. Suited broadways like AKs, AQs, AJs, KQs, and KJs are automatic opens. Offsuit broadways narrow to AKo, AQo, and sometimes AJo or KQo. Suited aces are opened down to about A9s or A8s. The logic here is that suited aces have nut flush potential, which matters in deep-stacked play. Suited connectors are limited from UTG. Only JTs makes it into virtually every UTG range, with T9s as a borderline inclusion. Lower suited connectors like 87s or 76s lack the high-card support needed when you are first to act. One of the most common mistakes recreational players make is opening too wide from UTG. Hands like KTo, QJo, or J9s might look playable, but from first position they create difficult postflop situations. You will often be out of position against callers, facing a range that is condensed around strong hands. RangerPro's UTG range at 100bb reflects this tight approach. When you load it up in the range builder, you will see the matrix concentrated in the upper-left corner, with only selective hands outside the premium zone. As stacks decrease, the UTG range evolves. At 40-50bb, you can still open a similar range but should tighten slightly because 3-bets behind you become more committal. At 25bb, opens shift toward hands that play well as shove-or-fold candidates. Below 15bb, UTG transitions entirely to push-fold, with a shoving range of roughly 12-15%% focused on high-card hands and pairs. The key principle at every stack depth is the same: from UTG, every hand you open must be able to withstand pressure from the players behind you. If you cannot comfortably call or 4-bet when facing a 3-bet, the hand probably does not belong in your UTG range.
Strategy tip
When in doubt at UTG, fold. The chips you save by avoiding marginal opens from first position compound over an entire tournament and keep you out of tough spots.
compare_arrows Stack depth evolution
| Stack | Hands | Width |
|---|---|---|
| 100bb |
|
33.1% |
| 50bb |
|
33.7% |
| 25bb |
|
32.0% |
| 20bb |
|
30.8% |
| 15bb |
|
23.1% |
| 10bb |
|
27.2% |
playing_cards Key hands at 100bb
casino View the ranges
menu_book Glossary terms
help Frequently Asked Questions
How many hands should I open from UTG in a 6-Max MTT? expand_more
At 100bb effective stacks, a standard UTG opening range is about 15-18%% of hands. This includes all pocket pairs, suited broadways, suited aces down to A8s-A9s, JTs, and the strongest offsuit broadways (AKo, AQo). As stacks get shorter, this range tightens further.
Should I open small pocket pairs from UTG? expand_more
At 100bb, yes. Small pocket pairs (22-55) have set-mining value when called, and the implied odds at deep stacks justify the open. At 25-40bb, they become marginal because implied odds shrink. Below 20bb, they are either shoved if they fall within your push range or folded.
Why is UTG considered the hardest position to play? expand_more
UTG is the hardest because you act first preflop against the most opponents, meaning you face the highest probability of running into a strong hand. You also play out of position postflop against almost every caller. Both factors demand a narrow, high-quality range and disciplined postflop play.
Practice with real ranges
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