Short-stack tournament poker creates many spots where an all-in or fold decision becomes important, especially around 10 big blinds and below. At deeper short stacks, however, raise, limp and mixed strategies can still be part of a strong approach.
This Push/Fold chart and calculator is an approximate chip-EV baseline. It uses a fixed 9-max-style table of hand/position stack thresholds, plus a simple heuristic ante sensitivity adjustment. It is not a Nash solver, does not calculate exact GTO equilibrium ranges, and does not model ICM payouts.
Calculate the exact break-even equity required for a call from the pot size and the additional amount you must call. This tab does not generate a hand range.
Enter a hand and situation to see how this model classifies it.
10 BB No-Ante Model Summary
These figures are generated from the same fixed threshold table used by the Push Baseline grid. They describe this site model only; they are not solver-certified Nash frequencies.
| Position | Combos marked Push | Combo share |
|---|---|---|
| UTG | 126 | 9.5% |
| MP | 160 | 12.1% |
| CO | 262 | 19.8% |
| BTN | 468 | 35.3% |
| SB | 818 | 61.7% |
Selected No-Ante Thresholds (Maximum Stack Marked Push)
| Hand | UTG | MP | CO | BTN | SB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 96s | 2 BB | 3 BB | 5 BB | 8 BB | 11 BB |
| 95s | 2 BB | 2 BB | 4 BB | 7 BB | 10 BB |
| A9s | 9 BB | 11 BB | 14 BB | 17 BB | 20 BB |
| KJo | 7 BB | 9 BB | 12 BB | 15 BB | 18 BB |
How to Interpret Stack Depth
| Stack | Use of This Tool |
|---|---|
| 3–5 BB | Very short-stack baseline; ranges can become extremely wide. |
| 6–10 BB | Push/fold decisions are common; this is the tool's clearest use case. |
| 11–15 BB | Raise, limp and shove mixes can matter; do not treat the grid as a complete strategy. |
| 16–20 BB | Full preflop/post-flop strategy matters more; use the grid only as a sensitivity reference. |
What went wrong?
What is Nash Equilibrium in Poker?
Nash Equilibrium is a game-theory concept: within a fully specified game model, no player can improve expected value by changing strategy unilaterally while the other strategies stay fixed. Exact poker equilibrium ranges depend on the assumptions of that model.
🎯 Key Property
At an exact equilibrium, a unilateral deviation cannot improve EV against the equilibrium response. That does not mean every player literally breaks even or that one chart solves every tournament format.
✅ Why It Matters
Opponent mistakes can create exploitative opportunities, but the best adjustment depends on how they deviate. A baseline is useful only when its assumptions are understood.
⚠️ Limitation
Exact equilibrium output is optimal only for the specified game model. Real opponents can deviate, and exploitative adjustments may improve EV when those deviations are known.
The calculator on this page is best treated as a Nash-style baseline approximation, not as exact equilibrium output. Use a solver or a source-specific chart when you need exact ranges for a defined game tree.
Understanding Push/Fold Strategy
As effective stacks get shorter, the value of preflop fold equity rises and post-flop maneuvering becomes more constrained. That makes shove/fold decisions increasingly important, but it does not eliminate every raise or limp strategy at all stacks.
With fewer chips behind, it becomes harder to:
- Make continuation bets that still leave meaningful leverage behind
- Bluff credibly across multiple post-flop streets
- Call raises and retain enough stack depth for flexible post-flop play
By moving all-in preflop, you accomplish two critical goals:
The Two Sources of Profit
💰 Fold Equity
When opponents fold, you win the blinds (and antes) immediately without seeing a flop. This is often your primary source of profit with weak hands.
📊 Pot Equity
When called, your hand still has showdown equity. The exact equity depends on the opponent’s calling range, so this page does not attach a fixed percentage to a hand without specifying that range.
Why does this tool focus on shove/fold? It models only the all-in-or-fold branch. At some stack depths and positions, small raises or limps can be part of a better mixed strategy; those actions are outside this calculator’s scope.
How to Use the Push/Fold Range Explorer
This tool shows how its approximate threshold model classifies a short-stack hand for the selected position and stack depth.
- Calculate Your Stack (BB): Convert your chip count into Big Blinds.
- Formula: Total Chips ÷ Current Big Blind = Stack in BB
- Example: 12,000 chips ÷ 1,000 BB = 12 BB
- Identify Your Position: Where are you sitting relative to the Button?
- EP (Early Position): UTG, UTG+1 — Many players behind, play tight
- MP (Middle Position): Slightly wider than EP
- CO (Cutoff): One off the button, moderately wide
- BTN (Button): Best position, wide ranges
- SB (Small Blind): Only BB behind, widest ranges
- Check for Antes: Antes add dead money, which widens your ranges.
- Read the model: Green means the hand is inside this site’s approximate push threshold; grey means outside it; orange means near the encoded threshold. Treat that as a baseline, not a solver command.
Hand Notation Guide
Understanding poker hand notation is essential for reading push/fold charts:
| Notation | Meaning | Example Hands Included |
|---|---|---|
| AA, KK, QQ | Specific pocket pair | A♠A♥, K♦K♣, etc. |
| 77+ | This pair and all higher pairs | 77, 88, 99, TT, JJ, QQ, KK, AA |
| 22+ | Any pocket pair | 22 through AA (all 13 pairs) |
| AKs | Ace-King suited | A♠K♠, A♥K♥, A♦K♦, A♣K♣ |
| AKo | Ace-King offsuit | A♠K♥, A♠K♦, A♥K♣, etc. (12 combos) |
| ATs+ | Ace-Ten suited and better | ATs, AJs, AQs, AKs |
| ATo+ | Ace-Ten offsuit and better | ATo, AJo, AQo, AKo |
| Axs | Any Ace suited (any kicker) | A2s, A3s, A4s… AKs |
| KQs-K9s | Range from K9s to KQs | K9s, KTs, KJs, KQs |
How Position Changes the Approximate Push Baseline
The encoded model becomes wider as fewer players remain behind. The table below shows specific threshold examples from the calculator code. A threshold is the maximum no-ante stack at which this model marks the hand as a push.
| Hand | UTG | MP | CO | BTN | SB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 96s | 2 BB | 3 BB | 5 BB | 8 BB | 11 BB |
| 95s | 2 BB | 2 BB | 4 BB | 7 BB | 10 BB |
| A9s | 9 BB | 11 BB | 14 BB | 17 BB | 20 BB |
| KJo | 7 BB | 9 BB | 12 BB | 15 BB | 18 BB |
96s from the Small Blind at 10 BB: Push or Fold?
In this calculator’s no-ante approximation, 96s has an SB threshold of 11 BB. At an effective stack of 10 BB, the grid therefore marks 96s as PUSH from the Small Blind. The same hand has an 8 BB threshold on the Button. At 10 BB it is outside the green push set but still within the model’s two-BB orange buffer, so the grid and Hand Lookup mark it as NEAR THRESHOLD, not as a push.
This is not a universal GTO ruling. The exact 96s decision can change with table size, ante format, the Big Blind’s calling strategy and ICM. The neighboring hand 95s has an SB threshold of 10 BB in this model, which also shows that 96s is not being presented as a precise solver-derived boundary.
How Antes Change Everything
When antes are in play (common in later tournament stages), more money goes into the pot before any action. This dead money makes pushing more profitable.
💰 The Math Behind Antes
Without Antes: Pot = 0.5 BB (SB) + 1 BB (BB) = 1.5 BB to win
With 10% Ante (9 players): Pot = 1.5 BB + 0.9 BB = 2.4 BB to win
That’s 60% more dead money — which means significantly wider pushing ranges!
Tool behavior: the ante controls apply a simple widening factor to the encoded stack thresholds. This is a sensitivity feature, not a table-size-aware solver calculation, so do not interpret the change as an exact Nash adjustment.
Calling as Big Blind: Required Equity from Pot Odds
The calculator’s Call Equity tab does not guess a calling range. It performs the exact pot-odds arithmetic needed before you compare a hand’s equity with an estimated shoving range.
📊 Example: SB shoves 10 BB, BB has 1 BB posted
Before your call, the pot contains 10 BB from SB + 1 BB from your posted big blind = 11 BB (ignoring antes).
You call 9 BB more, producing a 20 BB final pot.
Required equity = 9 / 20 = 45%.
The same inputs in the Call Equity tab are “Pot Before Your Call = 11” and “Amount to Call = 9”.
What the Call Equity Tab Tells You
- Final pot: pot before your call + amount you call.
- Required equity: amount to call ÷ final pot.
- Pot odds: pot before the call divided by the amount you must call.
This arithmetic alone does not tell you whether AA, 96s or any other hand should call. You still need the hand’s equity against the shover’s range. Near bubbles and final tables, chip-EV pot odds do not include payout pressure; the dedicated ICM section below explains when a payout-sensitive model is needed.
Worked Model Example: KJo at 10 BB
KJo shows how strongly position affects this encoded baseline. Its no-ante thresholds are 7 BB UTG, 9 BB MP, 12 BB CO, 15 BB BTN and 18 BB SB.
UTG, 10 BB
10 BB is deeper than the model’s 7 BB KJo threshold, so the grid marks MODEL: FOLD.
CO, 10 BB
10 BB is within the 12 BB threshold, so the grid marks MODEL: PUSH.
SB, 10 BB
10 BB is within the 18 BB threshold, so the grid marks MODEL: PUSH.
These are outputs of this site’s threshold model, not proof that KJo is an exact equilibrium shove in every tournament configuration.
ICM Considerations
ICM (Independent Chip Model) values tournament chips based on their monetary value in the payout structure, not just their chip count. Near pay jumps, survival becomes more important.
When ICM Matters Most
- Bubble situations: Risk premiums can become large; the effect depends on stack coverage and payout jumps
- Final table: Big pay jumps between positions — consider survival value
- Covering stack vs shorter stacks: The covering player may be able to apply more pressure in some payout structures
- Short stack vs short stack: Risk premium can materially change both players’ ranges
Do not apply a fixed percentage adjustment for ICM. Bubble and final-table ranges depend on payout structure and every relevant stack. A hand that is a chip-EV shove can become a fold under ICM, while big-stack pressure can create other wider spots.
For payout-sensitive shove/fold analysis, use the separate ICM Push/Fold Calculator.
Common Adjustments vs Real Opponents
Real opponents often deviate from baseline assumptions. The direction of an exploit depends on the specific mistake:
| Opponent Tendency | Your Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Folds too much (nit) | Push wider — steal their blinds relentlessly |
| Calls too wide (station) | Push tighter — only shove for value, not as bluffs |
| Big stack bully | Reshove wider against their steals — they have to fold often |
| Scared of bubbling | Use an ICM-specific model — pressure depends on payout jumps and every stack, not fear alone |
Related Poker Calculators
- ICM Push/Fold Calculator — Model payout-sensitive short-stack decisions
- Poker Equity Calculator — Outs and equity calculations
- Pot Odds Calculator — Make correct calling decisions
- Tournament Bankroll Calculator — Manage your tournament bankroll
- Bubble Factor Calculator — Understand ICM pressure
- Poker Variance Calculator — Understand short-term swings
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is Nash Equilibrium?
In a fully specified game model, a Nash equilibrium is a strategy profile where no player can improve EV by deviating unilaterally while the others stay fixed.
This page discusses that concept, but its interactive ranges are an approximation encoded from fixed thresholds; they are not exact solver-generated Nash ranges.
Why does this tool focus on shove/fold?
The tool is intentionally limited to all-in-or-fold decisions. As stacks get shorter, those decisions become more important, but raises and limps can still exist in strong strategies at some stack depths.
- Fold Equity: Making opponents fold and winning the pot immediately
- Pot Equity: Winning at showdown when called
Use the grid only for the shove/fold branch; it does not evaluate alternative raise sizes or limp strategies.
What does “s” and “o” mean?
“s” (suited): Cards of the same suit (e.g., A♠J♠). Suited hands gain flush possibilities and generally have more equity than their offsuit versions.
“o” (offsuit): Cards of different suits (e.g., A♠J♥). More combinations exist but slightly less equity.
What does “+” mean in hand notation?
The “+” symbol means “this hand and all better versions.”
- 77+ = 77, 88, 99, TT, JJ, QQ, KK, AA
- ATs+ = ATs, AJs, AQs, AKs (suited Aces, Ten or better kicker)
- ATo+ = ATo, AJo, AQo, AKo (offsuit Aces, Ten or better)
How do antes affect push/fold ranges?
Antes add “dead money” to the pot before any action. More dead money means you’re risking your stack to win a larger pot, making pushing more profitable.
The calculator widens its encoded thresholds when an ante sensitivity setting is selected, but this is a heuristic adjustment rather than an exact solver result.
Should I always follow Nash charts exactly?
Exact equilibrium strategies are defined for a specific game model. This page’s grid is only an approximation, so treat it as a baseline rather than a solver-certified Nash chart.
- If opponents fold too much → Push wider
- If opponents call too loose → Push tighter (value only)
Use exact solver output when you need equilibrium precision; otherwise treat this page only as a simplified baseline and adjust cautiously when you have reliable opponent information.
What is ICM and how does it affect push/fold?
ICM (Independent Chip Model) values tournament chips based on payout structure, not just chip count. Near the bubble or final table, survival becomes more valuable than chip accumulation.
ICM can create substantial risk premiums near bubbles and pay jumps. Covered stacks often become more cautious, while covering stacks can sometimes pressure them more widely. The direction and size of the adjustment depend on the full payout and stack configuration.
When should I start using push/fold strategy?
Push/fold decisions become increasingly common as effective stacks get very short, especially around 10 BB and below. There is no universal stack depth where every hand should be played only as shove or fold.
Between roughly 12-20 BB, raise, limp and shove mixes can matter substantially; above the tool’s 20 BB range, use a fuller preflop/post-flop strategy model.
What’s the difference between pushing from SB vs BTN?
From the Small Blind, only one player (BB) can call, maximizing fold equity. Ranges are widest here.
From the Button, both SB and BB can call, so ranges are slightly tighter. However, both are “stealing” positions with wide ranges compared to early position.
How do I defend as Big Blind against a shove?
Your calling range depends on:
- Shover’s position — Wider vs SB shoves, tighter vs UTG
- Shover’s stack size — Tighter vs big stacks
- Your pot odds — Calculate required equity to call
If SB has 10 BB total and you have already posted 1 BB, calling 9 BB more into a final 20 BB pot requires 45% equity before ICM or other adjustments. The correct calling range still depends on the shover’s actual range.
Do push/fold charts work for cash games?
Push/fold charts are mainly used for short-stack tournament spots, where blinds, antes and payout pressure shape decisions. Cash-game short-stack play has different incentives because stacks can be reloaded and rake matters.
Some shove/fold concepts transfer, but a tournament threshold table should not be treated as a complete cash-game strategy.
What if multiple players are already all-in?
Standard push/fold charts assume you’re first to act or everyone has folded to you. With existing all-ins:
- One all-in: You are no longer first-in; evaluate pot odds and equity against the shover’s estimated range
- Multiple all-ins: Required equity and ranges change sharply; use pot odds, estimated ranges and ICM rather than a fixed hand list
Your fold equity is zero when calling, so you need pure pot equity to win.
Is 96s a shove from the Small Blind at 10 BB?
In this site’s no-ante approximation, yes. The encoded SB threshold for 96s is 11 BB, so the 10 BB grid marks it as a push. From BTN the same hand has an 8 BB threshold; at 10 BB it is outside the push set but falls inside the model’s orange two-BB buffer, so it is classified as NEAR THRESHOLD.
This is a model-specific result, not a universal GTO answer. Antes, Big Blind calling strategy, table size and ICM can change the decision.