SPOT PRINCIPLE
Nearly half of hands continue against a cutoff steal – the discount makes wide defense mandatory, not optional.
The reference tier. 3-bets are linear and value-heavy, live-style; calls are pairs, strong suited hands, and the best broadways.
Big blind versus cutoff: a wide open meets the discounted close. Defend broadly, and make the suited hands do the heavy lifting.
Assumes a ~4bb open; 3-bet to ~3x the open in position, ~4x from the blinds – larger as stacks deepen.
Baseline assumptions: 9-handed · no ante · no straddle · 4bb opens · low-rake live structure · cold-calling allowed. Charts reduce low-frequency mixes to a single default action; adjust live for opponents and rake. Baseline v1 · updated 2026-08.