Open shove in poker tournaments: when to go all-in first
An open shove is going all-in as the first player to enter the pot. In tournaments it’s the main weapon of a short stack (about 15 big blinds or less): it gives you fold equity, avoids tough decisions after the flop, and can’t be pushed off your hand. The shorter your stack and the later your position, the wider you can shove.
Why open shove instead of raising?
Section titled “Why open shove instead of raising?”| With ~10 BB | Small raise (2 BB) | Open shove |
|---|---|---|
| If someone re-shoves | You often must call anyway | Already all-in |
| After the flop | Tough decisions with 8 BB left | No decisions |
| Fold equity | Low | High |
How range depends on stack and position
Section titled “How range depends on stack and position”| Stack | Early position | Late position (CO, BTN) | Small blind vs big blind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 BB | Tight: pairs 7-7+, A-J+ | Wider: most pairs, A-x suited, K-Q | Very wide |
| 10 BB | Pairs, A-10+, K-Q | Many aces, kings, suited connectors | Very wide |
| 5 BB | Wide | Very wide | Almost any two cards |
These are rough guides; see push/fold for full charts.
Things that change your range
Section titled “Things that change your range”- Antes in the pot: shove wider. See ante.
- Tight players behind: shove wider. Callers behind: shove tighter.
- Bubble or pay jumps: ICM may make some shoves too risky, or make others more profitable against scared stacks.
Common mistakes
Section titled “Common mistakes”- Min-raising and folding with 8–10 big blinds.
- Waiting too long and shoving with 2 big blinds, when nobody folds.
- Calling all-ins with the same range you would shove: calling needs a much stronger hand.
See also short stack strategy and M-ratio.
What is an open shove?
Section titled “What is an open shove?”Going all-in as the first player to enter the pot.
When should you open shove in a tournament?
Section titled “When should you open shove in a tournament?”Usually with about 15 big blinds or less, more often from late position.
Why is shoving better than min-raising with a short stack?
Section titled “Why is shoving better than min-raising with a short stack?”It maximises fold equity and avoids tough decisions after the flop.
Is calling an all-in the same as shoving?
Section titled “Is calling an all-in the same as shoving?”No. You need a much stronger hand to call than to shove first.