Resteal from CO
Resteal from CO
The act of three-betting from the cutoff position against a perceived steal raise from late position, typically from the button or hijack.
Overview
Restealing from the cutoff (CO) is a common poker strategy used in no-limit hold'em cash games and tournaments. It involves three-betting (re-raising) when an opponent in a later position (most often the button, but also the hijack or even the CO itself) opens with a raise that is suspected to be a steal attempt. The goal is to exploit wide opening ranges and force the original raiser to fold, winning the pot preflop without contest.
Why the Cutoff?
The cutoff is a strong position for restealing because it has good visibility on the action: the players to its left (button, blinds) have yet to act. When the button opens, the CO can three-bet with a polarized range of value hands and bluffs. The CO's resteal range often includes hands like suited connectors, small pairs, and weak aces that play well postflop but also have decent equity when called.
Key Considerations
- Opponent's Tendencies: Restealing works best against players who open too wide (e.g., 40%+ from the button) and fold too often to three-bets (e.g., above 65%). Adjust based on fold-to-3bet stats.
- Stack Sizes: Effective stack sizes matter. With 100 big blinds or more, restealing is standard. With shorter stacks, a jam or larger sizing may be preferred.
- Blind Squeeze: Beware of the blinds. If the small or big blind is prone to squeezing (four-betting), the CO resteal loses value. Prefer restealing when blinds are tight.
- Sizing: A standard three-bet size is 3x the original raise plus additional for dead money, typically 9-11 big blinds total. Avoid sizing that gives the original raiser good pot odds to call.
Example Scenario
Hero is in the CO with 100BB. Button (a loose-aggressive regular) opens to 2.5BB. Hero holds [7♠8♠]. If the button folds to 3bets frequently, a resteal to 9BB is profitable. If the button calls or four-bets often, restealing with this hand is marginal.
Conclusion
Restealing from the CO is a key weapon against late-position stealers. It requires good reads on opponents and proper adjustment to stack depths and table dynamics. Overusing it can be exploited, so balance with value three-bets and occasional calls.