Poker Strategy: How Rake and Ante Affect Your Game

Poker strategy expert Jonathan Little advises adjusting your approach based on the ante and rake structure of the game. If you treat all no-limit hold’em games the same, you will leave a lot of money on the table. In low-stakes cash games with rake, players should defend with only 28% of hands from the big blind when facing a raise of 2.75 big blinds. This range includes hands like 2-2+, A-2 suited+, A-9 offsuit+, K-2 suited+, K-10 offsuit+, Q-5 suited+, Q-J offsuit, J-8 suited+, 10-7 suited+, 9-6 suited+, 8-5 suited+, 6-4 suited+, and 4-3 suited.

In contrast, in tournaments with a 1 big blind ante and no rake, players can defend with 76% of hands from the big blind when facing a raise. This wider range includes all pairs and suited hands, A-2 offsuit+, K-2 offsuit+, Q-4 offsuit+, J-7 offsuit+, 10-7 offsuit+, 9-7 offsuit+, 8-6 offsuit+, 7-5 offsuit+, 6-4 offsuit+, 5-3 offsuit+ and 4-3 offsuit.

Players should three-bet with their best hands and a mix of suited connectors to avoid being predictable. In games with a rake and no ante, players should only three-bet or fold from the small blind when facing a raise. As the rake increases, players should tighten their ranges because the pots they are fighting for are smaller. In games with an uncapped rake, players should play extremely tight to minimize rake payments and win most of the pots they play.