Opening from the cutoff
When the action folds to you in the cutoff, the starting chart opens 28% of hands in a 6-max cash game with 100 big blinds.
Why this range
Only the button has position on you. Suited connectors, more offsuit broadway hands and weaker suited kings become profitable opens.
When the button folds you play the hand in position against the blinds, which is where a wide range earns its money.
How wide to open
The chart raises 28% of hands and folds the rest. There is no calling when everyone before you has folded: if a hand is good enough to play, it is good enough to raise.
The chart raises to 2.5 big blinds. Use the same size with every hand you open, so that the size says nothing about your cards.
When someone has raised before you
Your range is narrower against a raise than when you are first in, and it depends on who opened. In the starting charts: against an open from UTG, raise 3% of hands and call 5%; against an open from HJ, raise 4% of hands and call 7%.
The earlier the opener sits, the stronger their range, and the tighter you should continue.
About the numbers
The figures come from the rule-of-thumb charts on this site, not from a solver. They are a sound default to learn first. In the trainer you can edit every chart and train on the hands at the edge of the range.
The charts
Terms in this guide
Practise it
Reading is the easy part. Play the hand of the day, or deal ten hands in the trainer and see which of these decisions cost you the most.