Big blind (BB) preflop range
From big blind in a 6-max game, raise about 49.3% of hands , 654 of the 1,326 possible combinations, when the action folds to you. The big blind never opens the pot, because when the action reaches it there is nothing left to open, it defends instead.
Big blind defending against a button open · Cash · 100bb
49.3% of hands·654 combos
Which hands to 3-bet and which to call when the button raises, at 100 big blinds.
Big blind defending against a button open · Tournament · 40bb
30.8% of hands·408 combos
Which hands to 3-bet and which to call when the button raises, at 40 big blinds.
Playing from big blind
The blind is already invested, so the price to continue is better than for anyone else at the table, and the defending range is correspondingly wide. Most of those hands will miss the flop and be given up cheaply. The goal is not to win the pot often; it is to lose it inexpensively while collecting the ones that connect.
Methodology
These are reference charts, not solver output. They approximate published GTO-adjacent 6-max strategies and are rounded to ranges that are practical to memorise. Cash charts assume 100 big blinds, tournament charts 40. Treat them as a starting framework, not as a solved answer for a specific opponent.
Questions about the big blind range
How many hands should I open from big blind?
About 49.3% of hands, roughly 654 of the 1,326 possible combinations, in a six-handed cash game at 100 big blinds.
Does the big blind range change in a tournament?
Yes. At 40 big blinds there is less money behind, so hands that rely on winning a large pot later, small pairs and speculative suited hands, lose value, while fold equity becomes cheaper to buy. The tournament chart on this page reflects that.
Can I print this chart?
Yes. Use your browser’s print command; the page prints on a clean white background with the navigation and controls removed.
Other positions
Hear when the big blind drills open
The chart stays readable and printable. The trainer that deals big blind spots at both stack depths and grades them against this exact range opens without a card while Learn GTO is in early access.
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