DECISION POINT: An opponent raises UTG in a full-ring $2-5 NL Hold’em Cash Game and the player next to act reraises, what do you do with TT?

PRO ANSWER: In a full-ring No Limit Hold’em cash game, the range of hands that a player should open raise with Under the Gun (UTG) should be fairly narrow. When an unknown player in early position 3-bets the UTG raiser, we should assume they have a big hand (QQ+, AK+) by default, since most opponents in a live $2-5 cash game would reraise only with big hands in these positions.

If our opponent only holds pairs QQ or higher or AK, we are a significant underdog with TT. We are not getting the right price to call for set value, so we should fold. Stacks would need to be much deeper in order to justify calling for set value.

Generally, we should not invest more than about 7% of the effective stack preflop when only playing for set value. In this case, the call represents more than 10% of the effective stack.

Our estimate of our opponent’s hand range dramatically affects the ideal play with TT in this hand. Against an unknown opponent in a live $2-5 cash game, this is a fold by default. Against opponents that raise and reraise with many more hands, we may be able to continue with our TT.

However, with early position raises and reraises in a full ring game, we must be capable of folding good pairs preflop.

Folding is the best play.