MP 50bb Push Fold
MP 50bb Push Fold
A non-standard strategic concept where a player in middle position with exactly 50 big blinds uses a push-or-fold decision tree, typically for training or theoretical range construction rather than actual tournament play.
Overview
"MP 50bb Push Fold" is a term that combines a position (Middle Position, MP), a stack depth (50 big blinds), and a strategy type (push/fold). In standard poker tournament strategy, push/fold decisions are reserved for short stacks, generally under 15–20 big blinds, where the option to raise and fold to a re-raise becomes too costly. With 50 big blinds, a player has enough chips to open-raise, call raises, or three-bet without committing their entire stack, making all-in pushes rare and usually only appropriate when holding premium hands against loose opponents.
Purpose in Training
Despite not being a real-world strategy, the term appears in some poker training materials and range-building exercises. It may be used to teach players how tight their pushing range must be from early positions even with deeper stacks, or to simulate a scenario where a player is forced into a push/fold situation (e.g., due to ICM pressure or specific opponent tendencies). In such exercises, the ranges for pushing from MP at 50bb are extremely tight—only hands like AA, KK, and sometimes AKs or QQ—because the risk of losing a large stack outweighs the reward of stealing blinds.
Why 50bb Is Not Typical for Push/Fold
Push/fold strategy relies on fold equity and the ability to survive if called. When stacks are deep, the opponent calling range widens, and the push loses fold equity; the shover risks a large portion of their tournament life without sufficient reward. With 50bb, a standard open raise to 2–3bb is more efficient, allowing a player to bet-fold against re-raises or play post-flop. The push/fold model at 50bb would severely limit action and likely be suboptimal in most scenarios.
Related Concepts
- Push/fold chart: A table of ranges for shoving or folding based on position and stack size (usually for stacks ≤20bb).
- Middle Position (MP): The seats just to the right of the cutoff (typically UTG+2/3 in a 9-handed table).
- Big Blind (BB): The unit of stack measurement.
- ICM: Independent Chip Model, which can influence push/fold decisions in tournaments.
In summary, "MP 50bb Push Fold" is not a standard or recommended strategy but a theoretical construct used to emphasize how stack depth alters optimal play. Players should avoid literal push/fold with 50bb unless in exceptional circumstances.