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WPT GTO Trainer Hands of the Week: Defending a Shallow Stack Against a Cutoff Raise

Related Topics: Blind, Pontiac GTO, World Poker Tour

This week we’re focused on a typical tournament spot where you are out of position against a tough player on the Cutoff after calling their raise from the Big Blind. Stacks are shallow, with only 20 Big Blinds in the effective stack to start the hand.

There are a few flops where you could construct a leading range from the Big Blind in this spot, but for the vast majority of flops you can begin by checking to the preflop raiser. Checking is preferred as a default because the preflop aggressor in this spot will typically have an equity advantage.