Push-or-fold with a short stack
When your stack hits 10 big blinds, poker collapses into one choice: shove or muck. Master the zone, the ranges, and the ICM traps that keep you alive.
Fancy play dies short
Deep, you raise, c-bet, and fold across streets. At 10bb you can't — open to 2.2bb, get shoved on, and you're trapped. Push-or-fold cuts that: one preflop decision, all-in or muck.
Why shove, not min-raise
Jamming your whole stack pressures folds a small raise never gets. It also stops you raise-folding — at 8bb that's tossing away a quarter of your chips for nothing.
Push-or-fold depth: 8bb, folded to you UTG at a 9-handed table. Shove or fold this hand?
Position = width
Act later, jam wider — fewer players can wake up with a monster behind you. UTG maybe the top 10-14%; on the button folded to you, 40-50%+ at 8-10bb.
Calling is tighter than shoving
You risk your whole stack to win a smaller pot and can fold no one out. You only cash equity at showdown — so call with hands that hold up, not speculative draws.
You're the big blind with 8bb and it folds to the small blind, who open-shoves all-in. Which of these two hands should you CALL with?
ICM tightens near the money
Chips aren't cash — busting hurts far more than doubling helps. Near a bubble or pay jump, tighten both ranges, especially as the caller. A +chip shove can still torch your tournament.
- At ~10bb and below, only shove or fold — never open-raise into a re-raise trap.
- Count your stack in big blinds, not chips, to know which mode you're in.
- Later position = wider jam; on the button folded to you, ship very wide.
- Calling needs a tighter range than shoving — you risk it all to win less.
- ICM and bubbles tighten ranges; antes loosen them. Adjust before you jam.
Test yourself
Answer them all — 20/24 to pass. Every answer gets an explanation.
At approximately what stack depth does push-or-fold become the dominant correct strategy?
Push-or-fold takes over near 10bb and is essentially mandatory under about 6-7bb.
Why is open-shoving usually better than a small raise with a short stack?
Shoving pressures folds and prevents wasting chips by raising then folding to a re-raise.
How should you measure your stack to know if you're in the push-fold zone?
Chip counts are meaningless without the blind level; big blinds tell you your true depth.
From which position can you profitably shove the widest range when folded to you?
On the button only the two blinds remain, so far fewer players can wake up with a big hand.
Compared to your shoving range, your calling range against a shove should be:
Calling risks your whole stack to win a smaller pot and can't fold anyone out, so it needs stronger hands.
With 8bb on the button folded to you, holding A7o, the best play is:
A7o from the button at 8bb is a clear jam — an ace blocks strong calls and folding bleeds chips.
What effect do antes have on correct shoving ranges?
Antes add reward for stealing, so profitable shoves become wider once they're posted.
Near the money bubble, ICM pressure causes ranges to:
Busting is disproportionately costly near a pay jump, so players tighten to avoid elimination.
Why does calling a shove only let you 'realize equity at showdown'?
Once you call all-in, the only way to win is to have the best hand at showdown.
With 12bb in the big blind facing a button open-shove, A10s is:
A10s dominates much of a wide button jamming range and flips against the rest — an easy call.
The main danger of open-raising small with 8bb instead of shoving is:
A raise-fold with a short stack throws away a large fraction of your stack for nothing.
Which of these best describes 'fold equity'?
Fold equity is the value gained from opponents folding to your bet or shove.
In a satellite where only reaching a seat matters, survival-based (ICM-style) pressure on your ranges is:
Satellites pay a flat prize for survival, so avoiding elimination outweighs accumulating chips.
Which hand group is generally shove-able from middle position or later at 8-10bb?
That range is the standard profitable jam from middle position and later at this depth.
Why does an ace in your hand strengthen a short-stack shove?
Holding an ace reduces the combinations of strong aces and AA an opponent can hold.
What is the single decision push-or-fold forces on your opponent when you jam?
An all-in leaves the opponent only the binary choice of calling off or folding.
Which stack depth makes push-or-fold essentially the ONLY correct mode?
Below ~6-7bb there is no room to do anything but shove or fold preflop.
When a shorter stack than you could bust before you near a pay jump, you should:
Letting a shorter stack bust first can move you up in pay, so preserving chips is valuable.
Why do late-position shoving ranges widen relative to early position?
With fewer players left to act, the risk of running into a monster drops, so you can jam wider.
A speculative suited connector is a poor CALL against a short-stack shove mainly because:
Suited connectors profit by flopping draws, which is impossible when calling all-in preflop.
Beyond fold equity, shoving with a short stack also lets you collect:
The antes are dead money that a successful uncontested shove scoops along with the blinds.
At 9bb under the gun, pocket fives should be:
Small pairs flip against overcards and crush dominated hands, and they play badly postflop when short.
From under the gun at a full table with 9bb, your shoving range is roughly:
With eight players still to act, UTG must stay tight to avoid running into premiums.
Above roughly 15bb, push-fold charts should be:
Above ~15bb you have postflop room again, so pure push-fold no longer strictly applies.
Review — all 24 questions & answers tap to expand
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At approximately what stack depth does push-or-fold become the dominant correct strategy?
Answer Around 10 big blinds and below
Push-or-fold takes over near 10bb and is essentially mandatory under about 6-7bb.
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Why is open-shoving usually better than a small raise with a short stack?
Answer It maximizes fold equity and avoids the raise-fold mistake
Shoving pressures folds and prevents wasting chips by raising then folding to a re-raise.
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How should you measure your stack to know if you're in the push-fold zone?
Answer In big blinds
Chip counts are meaningless without the blind level; big blinds tell you your true depth.
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From which position can you profitably shove the widest range when folded to you?
Answer The button
On the button only the two blinds remain, so far fewer players can wake up with a big hand.
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Compared to your shoving range, your calling range against a shove should be:
Answer Tighter
Calling risks your whole stack to win a smaller pot and can't fold anyone out, so it needs stronger hands.
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With 8bb on the button folded to you, holding A7o, the best play is:
Answer Shove all-in
A7o from the button at 8bb is a clear jam — an ace blocks strong calls and folding bleeds chips.
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What effect do antes have on correct shoving ranges?
Answer They widen ranges by adding dead money to steal
Antes add reward for stealing, so profitable shoves become wider once they're posted.
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Near the money bubble, ICM pressure causes ranges to:
Answer Tighten, especially for the caller
Busting is disproportionately costly near a pay jump, so players tighten to avoid elimination.
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Why does calling a shove only let you 'realize equity at showdown'?
Answer Because you can no longer fold your opponent out
Once you call all-in, the only way to win is to have the best hand at showdown.
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With 12bb in the big blind facing a button open-shove, A10s is:
Answer A comfortable call
A10s dominates much of a wide button jamming range and flips against the rest — an easy call.
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The main danger of open-raising small with 8bb instead of shoving is:
Answer Being forced to fold a quarter of your stack to a re-raise
A raise-fold with a short stack throws away a large fraction of your stack for nothing.
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Which of these best describes 'fold equity'?
Answer The chance opponents fold, letting you win without a showdown
Fold equity is the value gained from opponents folding to your bet or shove.
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In a satellite where only reaching a seat matters, survival-based (ICM-style) pressure on your ranges is:
Answer Extreme — avoid busting even more than usual
Satellites pay a flat prize for survival, so avoiding elimination outweighs accumulating chips.
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Which hand group is generally shove-able from middle position or later at 8-10bb?
Answer Any pocket pair, any ace, and suited Broadways
That range is the standard profitable jam from middle position and later at this depth.
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Why does an ace in your hand strengthen a short-stack shove?
Answer It blocks many of the premium hands that could call
Holding an ace reduces the combinations of strong aces and AA an opponent can hold.
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What is the single decision push-or-fold forces on your opponent when you jam?
Answer Call and race, or fold and surrender the pot
An all-in leaves the opponent only the binary choice of calling off or folding.
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Which stack depth makes push-or-fold essentially the ONLY correct mode?
Answer About 6-7 big blinds and below
Below ~6-7bb there is no room to do anything but shove or fold preflop.
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When a shorter stack than you could bust before you near a pay jump, you should:
Answer Tighten up and avoid risking elimination
Letting a shorter stack bust first can move you up in pay, so preserving chips is valuable.
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Why do late-position shoving ranges widen relative to early position?
Answer Fewer players remain who could hold a big hand
With fewer players left to act, the risk of running into a monster drops, so you can jam wider.
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A speculative suited connector is a poor CALL against a short-stack shove mainly because:
Answer You can't realize its drawing value — you only win at showdown
Suited connectors profit by flopping draws, which is impossible when calling all-in preflop.
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Beyond fold equity, shoving with a short stack also lets you collect:
Answer The dead ante money in the pot
The antes are dead money that a successful uncontested shove scoops along with the blinds.
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At 9bb under the gun, pocket fives should be:
Answer A comfortable shove
Small pairs flip against overcards and crush dominated hands, and they play badly postflop when short.
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From under the gun at a full table with 9bb, your shoving range is roughly:
Answer The top ~10-14% of hands
With eight players still to act, UTG must stay tight to avoid running into premiums.
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Above roughly 15bb, push-fold charts should be:
Answer Loosened, since you regain room to min-raise and fold
Above ~15bb you have postflop room again, so pure push-fold no longer strictly applies.