♠️🏆️ Tourney Tuesday: When Someone Opens in Front — Should You Still Jam?

Last week we hammered the dangers of passively leaking chips with a short stack. But there’s another spot where tournament players get confused and punt their stack:
“I have 10 big blinds. Someone raised in front of me—can I still jam wide?”

💡 It’s a Different Game When There’s a Raise in Front

Most push/fold charts are built for unopened pots—when it’s folded to you and you’re first in. In those spots, you can shove aggressively, especially from late position.
But once someone opens in front, everything changes.

Why Your Shoving Range Shrinks

• Less fold equity: The opener already invested chips and will call more often.

• Stronger ranges: Many opponents’ preflop raising range in tourneys is already pretty tight

What Hands Can You Jam Over a Raise?

Here’s your 10BB CO jamming range

Now let’s say a player in MP opens to 3bb in front of you. Here’s what I would jam

As a coach, I’m always looking for rules-of-thumb that do a lot of good with just a little thought. How does the 2nd range relate to the 1st one?

Look at the percentages in the bottom right corner of each.

Jamming 87s or A4o here is a huge leak.
You just aren’t getting enough folds and are too often up against stronger hands.

🔎 Takeaway: Jam Wide When Unopened, Tighten Up When There’s Action

• When folded to you at 10bb? Push!

• When facing a raise? Tighten up.

Any recent tournament hands you’re curious about?
Let me know — it might show up in an upcoming Tourney Tuesday.

Stay sharp and curious

— Mike

Meet Mike D. -- Poker Coach 

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