DECISION POINT: You are playing in a lively $1/$2 cash game at a local casino where players are regularly posting a straddle. The UTG player straddles to $4 and it folds to the Cutoff who raises to $12. The Button folds and action is on you in the Big Blind with K♠J♣.

What do you do here?

PRO ANSWER: We are playing a fairly lively $1/$2 cash game at a local casino. Most of the players are straddling frequently, and this hand is no exception. The UTG player straddles to $4 and we are in the Big Blind with K♠J♣. Everyone folds to the Cutoff who makes it $12 and the action folds around to us.

The biggest mistake players make in live games with straddles, or games with 3 blind configurations, is calling preflop FAR too often out of the Blinds. While there are a few hands that make profitable calls, such as some of the bigger mid-pocket pairs like 88 and broadway combos including AJs/KQs, most players would instantly become more profitable if they adopted a pure reraise or fold strategy in these scenarios.

If we compare the risk vs reward on the Cutoff’s $14 raise to win $7 compared to a “normal” raise in a $1/$2 game with no straddle where they might risk $6 to win $3, the ratios might be the same, but there is one key difference.

In the straddle scenario the Cutoff is raising with essentially 3 blinds to get through and 4 players behind. Without the straddle, the Cutoff will be raising into 2 blinds and have 3 players remaining to act behind. This means that the Cutoff, in theory, should be playing a tighter range than they normally would in a non-straddle game. In practice, this may not be the case, but even recreational players would recognize that they are less likely to get two blinds and a straddler to fold than just two blinds alone and likely make some adjustments.

Even if we think that the Cutoff is looser than they should be, the best solution is to start 3-betting them a bit wider and rarely call a 4-bet. This is quite similar to the idea that in a non-straddle game we prefer to mostly 3-bet or fold from the Small Blind. When we proceed by calling in this spot, we create a situation where the straddle behind us can often call and close the action. Playing out of position against multiple opponents makes it very tough to realize equity.

Aside from hands with very specific properties like the pocket pairs and bigger suited broadways mentioned above, calling shouldn’t be a part of our playbook, and KJo just isn’t strong enough to raise.

Folding is the best play.