Poker Cutoff Strategy: GTO Ranges from the Second-Best Seat
The cutoff sits directly right of the button. You have position on four players, only one player acts behind you preflop in position, and your blind-stealing range is nearly as wide as the button’s. Most players open the cutoff too tight, leave profitable hands in the muck, and give up too much to 3-bets. This guide covers the GTO cutoff opening range, how to respond when you get squeezed, when to attack the blinds, and the mistakes bleeding the most chips from CO players.
Quick Answer
From the cutoff in 6-max cash at 100bb, GTO strategy opens approximately 24-28% of hands using a 2.5bb raise. The range includes all pocket pairs, all suited aces, suited connectors down to 54s, all suited broadways, many suited one-gappers, and a healthy selection of offsuit broadways. When facing a 3-bet, the cutoff defends by calling with mid-strength hands and 4-betting the top of its range plus a handful of suited-ace bluffs. The defining constraint: the button still acts behind you, so you open slightly tighter than the BTN but considerably wider than the hijack.
Why the cutoff is the second most profitable seat
Positional equity in no-limit hold’em is not distributed evenly. The button is clearly the best seat. The cutoff is a close second, and the gap between CO and every other seat is meaningful.
Here is what makes the cutoff valuable: only one player acts behind you with position both preflop and postflop, and that player is the button. The hijack, UTG, and UTG+1 positions all have both the CO and the BTN to contend with. The small blind and big blind act last preflop but play every postflop street out of position.
When you open the cutoff and only the big blind calls, you are in position for the entire hand. When the button calls, you are out of position to them, but you still have the information advantage over the blinds. This partial positional advantage is enough to justify opening roughly 10-14% more hands from CO compared to HJ, and opening a range that includes speculative suited hands that would be borderline from earlier seats.
In a full 6-max game at 100bb with rake typical of 25NL-100NL online, the CO generates roughly +3 to +6bb/100 hands in raw positional equity versus the table average. That is before accounting for individual skill. A player who understands their cutoff ranges and exploits the blinds effectively turns this into a significant long-term edge.
GTO cutoff opening range: what to open from CO
GTO solvers open approximately 24-28% of starting hands from the cutoff in a standard 6-max cash game at 100bb. The range is substantially wider than the hijack (18-20%) but noticeably tighter than the button (42-48%). The difference comes down to the button’s presence: they act after you preflop and postflop every time you both enter the pot.
Here is how GTO structures the CO open in 6-max cash:
| Hand Category | Action | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| All pocket pairs (22-AA) | Open raise | Every pair opens profitably from CO |
| All suited aces (A2s-AKs) | Open raise | Flush potential + top-pair equity makes all profitable |
| Suited broadways (KQs-JTs, J9s) | Open raise | Strong equity, two-card rundown potential |
| Suited connectors (T9s-54s) | Open raise | Position makes these profitable; fold from UTG |
| Suited one-gappers (K9s, Q9s, T8s, 97s, 86s, 75s, 64s, 53s) | Open raise | Weaker rundowns that play well in position |
| Offsuit broadways (KQo, KJo, KTo, QJo) | Open raise | Solid blockers and equity vs. calling ranges |
| Offsuit aces (A9o-AKo) | Open raise | A9o+ is a clear open; some solvers fold A8o |
| Offsuit aces (A5o-A8o) | Mixed/fold | A5o sometimes raised as blocker bluff; A6o-A8o often folded |
| Offsuit kings (K9o, KTo+) | Open raise | Marginal but profitable; K8o and below fold |
| Weak offsuit trash (72o, 83o, 94o) | Fold | No redeeming value without suitedness |
The cleanest way to think about the CO range: it is the button range minus most of the weaker offsuit holdings. All the suited hands that make sense on the button still make sense from CO. The cutoff sacrifices the fringe offsuit hands (Q8o, J8o, T8o) that barely break even on the button and clearly lose from CO with the BTN still behind.
Open sizing from CO follows the same standard as every other position: 2.5bb in 6-max cash games, occasionally 3bb in games where the big blind defends especially wide or at live tables where the rake structure changes the math. Smaller sizes (2bb) appear in some solver solutions at very deep stacks but are uncommon in standard cash game play.
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Cutoff vs. button: how to adjust when the BTN calls or 3-bets
One of the most common CO mistakes is ignoring the button’s tendencies when deciding how wide to open. A tight button who never 3-bets and rarely defends means your CO open is almost as good as a BTN open. A button who 3-bets aggressively and calls wide punishes your weaker opens hard.
In GTO play, the CO range is set assuming the button plays a balanced strategy. In practice, you can shade your CO range based on what you know:
Tight, passive BTN
Open wider. Add more offsuit broadway hands, K8o, Q9o. Your steal rate goes up and 3-bet risk drops.
Aggressive 3-betting BTN
Open tighter and more nutted. Remove borderline hands like K9o, Q9o. Increase 4-bet frequency with your strong hands to punish the aggression.
BTN who over-folds to continuation bets
Hands with low showdown equity (suited connectors, suited gappers) go up in value. You win pots post-flop they give up.
BTN who calls wide and plays fit-or-fold postflop
Remove your weakest suited garbage. Favor hands with solid equity (offsuit broadways, pocket pairs) that win at showdown.
None of these adjustments require you to abandon your GTO baseline. Think of the GTO range as the default, and these reads as permission to shade 5-10% of your marginal holdings in either direction.
How to respond to 3-bets from the cutoff
When you open CO and face a 3-bet, the source matters as much as the size. A 3-bet from the button puts you out of position for the entire hand. A 3-bet from the big blind means you are still in position if you call or 4-bet.
Here is how GTO structures CO responses to a standard 3-bet (roughly 9-11bb) from each position:
| Hand Tier | vs. BTN 3-bet | vs. BB 3-bet |
|---|---|---|
| AA, KK | 4-bet (always) | 4-bet (always) |
| QQ, JJ, AKs | 4-bet or call | 4-bet or call |
| TT, AQs, AKo | Call (mostly) | 4-bet or call |
| 99, 88, AJs, AQo | Call (mostly) | Call (mostly) |
| 77, 66, KQs, ATs | Call or fold | Call (mostly) |
| A5s, A4s (bluffs) | 4-bet or fold | 4-bet or fold |
| Suited connectors (76s, 87s) | Fold mostly | Call (sometimes) |
| Weak offsuit (K9o, Q9o) | Fold | Fold |
The key insight is position. When the button 3-bets, you are out of position for the entire hand, so your calling range tightens. You need stronger equity to compensate for acting first on every postflop street. When the big blind 3-bets, you are in position, so your calling range expands significantly and you can profitably call with hands you would fold to a BTN 3-bet.
Your 4-bet bluffs from CO should almost always be suited aces with a blocker to AK: A5s, A4s, A3s. These block the opponent’s value hands (AA, AK), have reasonable equity when called, and benefit from occasional fold equity against hands like QQ and JJ that face a difficult decision.
Practice CO ranges on your phone
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Blind stealing from the cutoff: when the BTN folds
When the button folds, the cutoff is now acting last among all players yet to act. You have position on every remaining player: the small blind and the big blind. This is the closest the CO gets to button-level power.
In the standard GTO model, the CO still opens with a 2.5bb raise regardless of whether the BTN is still in. The range slightly expands because 3-bet risk drops: the BTN is out, so only the blinds can 3-bet you. Blinds 3-bet at lower frequencies than a button who has positional incentive.
The math on blind stealing from CO: if the blinds fold 55-60% of the time (a reasonable estimate against many recreational players), a 2.5bb raise needs only 37.5% fold equity to be immediately profitable. Most blind player ranges fold far more than that against a CO raise, which makes any hand with reasonable blocker value profitable to open.
If you spot that the small blind and big blind are both playing tight, or both are short-stacked and likely to push-or-fold, your steal range from CO expands further. Hands like K8o, Q8o, and J9o that hover on the fringe of GTO range become clear opens against predictable opponents who fold too much. For a complete breakdown of steal ranges and sizing, see our blind stealing strategy guide.
Cutoff strategy when a player limps in front of you
Live games frequently feature limpers from early position. When someone limps in front of your cutoff, the correct response almost always is to raise (iso-raise) rather than overlimping. This is especially true against recreational players who limp wide and weak.
Iso-raise sizing with one limper: 4-5bb in most games (roughly 1bb per limper above the standard open, plus the open itself). The goal is to play heads-up in position against the weaker hand, avoid multiway pots where your edge diminishes, and close out the players yet to act behind you.
Your iso-raise range from CO over a limper is somewhat tighter than your standard open but still wide: all pocket pairs, all suited aces, suited broadways, suited connectors, and strong offsuit broadways (KQo-KTo, QJo). You fold the fringe offsuit hands that rely on a clean steal rather than postflop equity, since a limper who calls creates a multiway dynamic.
When two players limp in front of you on the cutoff, your iso-raise range tightens further. Multiway pots punish speculative hands and reward strong top-pair hands. Tighten to premium pairs, big suited aces, and suited broadways. Two-gap suited connectors and small pairs start approaching break-even value in multiway pots.
5 cutoff mistakes bleeding chips from most players
Opening too tight
The CO is not the hijack. Most recreational players fold 5-10% more hands from CO than GTO recommends, treating it like a mid-position seat. If you are not opening all pocket pairs, all suited aces, and suited connectors down to 54s from the cutoff, you are leaving money on the table.
Folding too often to 3-bets
GTO defends the CO open with about 50-55% of its range against an average 3-bet. Players who fold everything below TT when 3-bet are giving up significant EV. Medium pairs, strong suited hands, and a few suited-ace bluffs all have the equity to fight back.
Forgetting position when the BTN calls
When the BTN calls your CO open, you are in the worst possible postflop situation: multiway and out of position to at least one opponent. Do not bluff recklessly in three-way pots. Check back flops where you have marginal equity and let the BTN bet into you.
Using the same sizing in every spot
Many players use 3bb from CO in all situations. GTO uses 2.5bb as a standard open but considers 3bb or larger when facing particularly aggressive 3-bettors or in rake structures where larger sizes benefit. Adjust your sizing to the specific game, not just a default.
Not adjusting steal frequency to the blinds
If the small blind and big blind are both tight-passive regulars, your steal success rate goes up. Expand your CO open to include K8o, Q9o, J8s, and other borderline hands. Against aggressive blinds who 3-bet wide, tighten your CO range to the top of your opening distribution and 4-bet more often.
Cutoff strategy in tournaments vs. cash games
The CO range shifts meaningfully in tournament poker, primarily because stack depth changes throughout the event. At 100bb, the GTO CO range is close to the cash-game equivalent. As stacks shrink, preflop decisions simplify.
| Stack Depth | CO Strategy | Key Adjustments |
|---|---|---|
| 100bb+ | Standard GTO range | Opens 24-28%, all standard suited hands and pocket pairs |
| 40-60bb | Slightly tighter, more fold equity | Remove borderline offsuit hands; 3-bet or fold becomes more common |
| 20-30bb | 3-bet or fold preflop | Raises are effectively shoves; range tightens to high-equity hands |
| 10-15bb | Push/fold mode | Jam or fold based on Nash push/fold charts; CO shoves wide |
ICM pressure in tournaments creates another adjustment. Near a pay jump or final table, the CO range tightens because losing chips is more expensive than gaining them. You cannot just open 27% of hands when busting means missing a significant pay jump. In these spots, the CO range contracts toward premium pairs, big suited aces, and strong offsuit broadways.
Deep in a tournament with no imminent ICM pressure, play closer to the GTO baseline. The further you are from a pay jump or final table, the more your decisions can mirror the chip-EV model used in cash game preflop training. For a complete breakdown of MTT-specific ranges at every stack depth, see the MTT preflop strategy guide.
How to actually memorize your cutoff ranges
Reading about GTO ranges does not make your decisions automatic. The cutoff is a high-frequency seat, which means errors from CO compound quickly. The only way to internalize the range is through deliberate repetition.
The process that works: isolate one position at a time. Spend a week on cutoff opens before touching 3-bet responses. Run through hand scenarios, decide open-raise or fold, then check the GTO answer. Over enough repetitions, the range starts to feel intuitive rather than effortful.
Two common drilling errors: starting from UTG when you should start from BTN (work backward from the position you understand best toward the tightest seat), and studying ranges passively by reading charts without decision practice. Passive chart-reading leaves you forgetting the boundaries when it matters in the middle of a hand.
For a full breakdown of the most effective practice methods, see the guide to how to practice poker preflop ranges. It covers the correct drill order, how long it takes to make ranges automatic, and the active training method that outperforms passive chart study.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of hands should I open from the cutoff?
In a 6-max cash game at 100bb, GTO strategy opens approximately 24-28% of starting hands from the cutoff. This includes all pocket pairs, all suited aces, suited connectors down to 54s, all suited broadways, many suited one-gappers, and strong offsuit broadways like KQo, KJo, KTo, QJo. The exact percentage shifts slightly with rake level and the tendencies of the players behind you.
How does the cutoff opening range differ from the button?
The button opens 42-48% of hands in 6-max cash; the cutoff opens 24-28%. The gap is driven by the button's presence behind the CO. The suited speculative hands stay in both ranges. The button's extra width comes almost entirely from weaker offsuit hands (Q8o, J8o, T8o, K7o) that are profitable when acting last but not from the CO.
Should I fold or 4-bet when 3-bet from the cutoff?
Most of the time, the correct response is either a 4-bet or a fold, not a call, especially against a button 3-bet where you are out of position. GTO mixes some calls with medium pairs (88-TT) and suited hands (ATs, KQs) but leans toward 4-bet or fold at the extremes. Against a big blind 3-bet, your calling range expands because you retain position. Your 4-bet bluffs should be suited aces: A5s, A4s, A3s.
How wide do I steal from the cutoff in tournaments?
At 100bb with no ICM pressure, the CO steal range in tournaments is similar to cash: 24-28%. As stacks shrink to 40bb, the range tightens slightly and 3-bet or fold logic takes over with many hands you used to open-call 3-bets with. At 20bb, the CO often shifts to jam or fold. Near a pay jump, tighten at any stack depth to reduce variance.
What hands should I 4-bet from the cutoff?
Your CO 4-bet value hands are AA, KK, QQ, AKs, AKo, often JJ and AQs against a BTN 3-bet. Bluff hands should be suited aces (A5s, A4s, A3s) that block AK and AA and have equity when called. Avoid 4-bet bluffing offsuit trash or hands with poor equity -- the goal is a polarized range with credible value and reasonable equity on bluffs.