SB 100bb Push Fold

Overview

SB 100bb Push Fold refers to a simplified poker strategy where the small blind (SB) is constrained to only two actions: fold or go all-in, despite holding a deep stack of 100 big blinds. This approach is rarely optimal in actual play, as it forgoes smaller raise sizes and post-flop skill, but it is commonly employed in solver-based training and theoretical analysis to isolate the effects of shoving ranges.

Purpose and Usage

The primary use of SB 100bb Push Fold is in game theory optimal (GTO) study. Solvers like PioSOLVER or MonkerSolver allow users to restrict the SB to push/fold at any stack depth to examine how the optimal shoving range changes with effective stacks. At 100bb, the GTO push/fold range is extremely tight—often only premium hands like AA, KK, AKs, and maybe QQ—because shoving deep invites folds from weaker hands and risks a large stack against a caller. This restriction helps players understand the extreme end of the spectrum and the importance of mixing in smaller raises.

Strategic Implications

In practice, a 100bb stack is too deep for a pure push/fold strategy; it is generally suboptimal because:

• It allows the big blind to call wider profitably, knowing they can play post-flop with deep stacks.
• The SB loses the ability to apply pressure with smaller raises and to exploit opponents' tendencies.
• The variance is extremely high, and the strategy is easily exploitable by observant opponents.

Nevertheless, studying this constraint can highlight how hand values shift with stack depth. For example, a hand like AJo might be a profitable shove at 15bb but becomes a clear fold at 100bb due to insufficient fold equity and poor equity against calling ranges.

Related Concepts

• Push/Fold Strategy: Typically applies to short stacks (under 10-15bb) where all-in or fold is the dominant optimal strategy.
• Small Blind Strategy: Comprehensive approach including min-raises, limps, and raises, not just push/fold.
• GTO Ranges: Preflop ranges derived from solver solutions, often involving mixed strategies.
• Deep Stack Play: Poker situations with >100bb effective stacks, emphasizing post-flop skill and bet sizing.

Conclusion

SB 100bb Push Fold is a theoretical tool, not a recommended in-game strategy. It serves to illustrate the extreme tightness required when shoving deep and underscores why professional players rarely open-shove with 100bb. Understanding this concept aids in grasping the broader principles of stack depth dynamics and range construction.