Opening with KJo on the button

qb93

qb93

Enthusiast
Bronze Level
Joined
Aug 24, 2018
Total posts
57
Awards
1
Poker Chips
112
Casino Coins
0
  • #1
You're deep in a MTT with 25BB. Folded to you on the button with KJo. Do you open-shove, min-raise, or fold? Let’s hear your reasoning! 👇
 
monkeytilter

monkeytilter

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Apr 12, 2020
Total posts
1,814
Awards
4
Poker Chips
388
Casino Coins
50
  • #2
Being "deep" into the tourney should make no difference to our play as long as we are not near the bubble.
So.. Min raise 💯

Your hand is too strong to fold and readless you should have no open shoves at 25bb from the button IMHO, min raising allows you to keep your range pretty wide, has your opponents guessing with scope to make mistakes.

Question for you: if you min. raise, what are you doing vs 3 bets from one of the blinds - non-all in and all in?
 
Last edited:
qb93

qb93

Enthusiast
Bronze Level
Joined
Aug 24, 2018
Total posts
57
Awards
1
Poker Chips
112
Casino Coins
0
  • #3
monkeytilter said:
Being "deep" into the tourney should make no difference to our play as long as we are not near the bubble.
So.. Min raise 💯

Your hand is too strong to fold and readless you should have no open shoves at 25bb from the button IMHO, min raising allows you to keep your range pretty wide, has your opponents guessing with scope to make mistakes.

Question for you: if you min. raise, what are you doing vs 3 bets from one of the blinds - non-all in and all in?
In that situation it's a strategic fold, without it been suit-connected to see the flop or paired to 4 bet, might not be worth the risk.
 
Matt_Burns88

Matt_Burns88

Legend
Platinum Level
Joined
Aug 24, 2018
Total posts
1,669
Awards
2
GB
Poker Chips
699
Casino Coins
0
  • #4
It's a straightforward open. Well within BTNs range, but at 25bb deep, it would be a disaster to open shove.
 
  • Like
Reactions: qb93 and fundiver199
Oxinthewater

Oxinthewater

Visionary
Platinum Level
Joined
Apr 21, 2020
Total posts
825
Awards
2
GB
Poker Chips
641
Casino Coins
5
  • #5
Min raise, and fold to similar/larger stacks (often dominated), but call if shoved by a short stack (especially if there's an ante).
 
Mario7

Mario7

Rock Star
Platinum Level
Joined
Apr 12, 2025
Total posts
411
Awards
1
Poker Chips
505
Casino Coins
0
  • #6
Min-raise of course, unless blinds have tiny stacks.
 
CDNMAN 42

CDNMAN 42

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Feb 1, 2017
Total posts
2,140
Awards
16
CA
Poker Chips
48
Casino Coins
10
  • #7
qb93 said:
You're deep in a MTT with 25BB. Folded to you on the button with KJo. Do you open-shove, min-raise, or fold? Let’s hear your reasoning! 👇
I would think that a min raise would not prove effective as the blinds are both somewhat invested therefore I would at least raise 3BB and if reraised then consider fold or Jam
 
Poker Orifice

Poker Orifice

And Still...
Platinum Level
Joined
Jan 19, 2008
Total posts
28,556
Awards
6
CA
Poker Chips
1,012
Casino Coins
10
  • #8
"It depends"
 
kaynbergo

kaynbergo

Visionary
Platinum Level
Joined
Nov 24, 2022
Total posts
562
Awards
1
UA
Poker Chips
762
Casino Coins
0
  • #9
If the rate increase was small, I'll call right away, but if it was more than 4 times, I'll discard my cards.
 
elflake

elflake

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
May 28, 2018
Total posts
190
Awards
1
US
Poker Chips
187
Casino Coins
0
  • #10
Nowhere near enough information to give an opinion : what are blinds stack size, my perception of how they play, stakes of the tourney, how far til money, bounties ?
 
leomarinho

leomarinho

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Jul 4, 2025
Total posts
112
BR
Poker Chips
104
Casino Coins
0
  • #11
qb93 said:
You're deep in a MTT with 25BB. Folded to you on the button with KJo. Do you open-shove, min-raise, or fold? Let’s hear your reasoning! 👇
With 25BB on the button, I’m almost always min-raising KJo. It’s strong enough to open, but too strong to turn into an open-shove and too good to fold. Min-raising keeps weaker hands in, risks fewer chips, and gives you more flexibility postflop
 
Marshmalo1994

Marshmalo1994

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Sep 17, 2022
Total posts
3,543
Awards
1
AR
Poker Chips
1,583
Casino Coins
20
  • #12
qb93 said:
You're deep in a MTT with 25BB. Folded to you on the button with KJo. Do you open-shove, min-raise, or fold? Let’s hear your reasoning! 👇
A 2bb open it would be ok. If SB and BB are -12BB I think you could put some pressure and push.
KJo in button is too specific.
A good way to study these scenarios is look for the edge. What is the lowest KXo that can play this way?
What is the lowest pair or suited hand?
How many bb are straight push?
 
OLDMONEY

OLDMONEY

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Jun 14, 2026
Total posts
32
UA
Poker Chips
45
Casino Coins
0
  • #13
With 25BB, I'm min.raising. KJo is way too strong to fold, but 25BB is also way too deep to open shove. By min.raising, I keep weaker hands in, can still fold to heavy action if needed, and avoid risking my entiire stack unnecessarily.
 
Sunz of Beaches

Sunz of Beaches

Sunz Tzu
Platinum Level
Joined
Oct 26, 2019
Total posts
6,346
Awards
2
Poker Chips
2,603
Casino Coins
335
  • #14
qb93 said:
In that situation it's a strategic fold, without it been suit-connected to see the flop or paired to 4 bet, might not be worth the risk.
Ah u apparently already know the answer.

Its basically never an openfold. We can make an argument for folding if we are on the direct bubble of an expensive tournament and sb/bb are very aggressive and will reshove on ur open a ton or in a satellite when we already got the entry secured with our stacksize.

Dont see any other situations where openfolding such a hand in such a strong position would be justified.
 
NSX_Amfe2nat

NSX_Amfe2nat

Rock Star
Platinum Level
Joined
May 22, 2022
Total posts
473
Awards
1
UA
Poker Chips
585
Casino Coins
5
  • #15
Min raise, after i ll adapt to the situation
 
Coolcassv9.

Coolcassv9.

Rock Star
Platinum Level
Joined
Apr 7, 2026
Total posts
271
MX
Poker Chips
155
Casino Coins
5
  • #16
always 2x and watch the flop
 
leomarinho

leomarinho

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Jul 4, 2025
Total posts
112
BR
Poker Chips
104
Casino Coins
0
  • #17
qb93 said:
You're deep in a MTT with 25BB. Folded to you on the button with KJo. Do you open-shove, min-raise, or fold? Let’s hear your reasoning! 👇
With 25BB on the button, I’m usually min-raising. KJo is too strong to fold and too strong to turn into a 25BB open shove. I’d rather keep weaker hands in, use my position, and make decisions postflop. Of course, stack sizes in the blinds and ICM considerations could change things
 
Top