How to play 42s preflop
3-handed · 100bb · SB 0.4bb · 5% rake, cap 10bb · 43 spots where 42s gets a decision
Opens (raise first in)
| Spot | 42s |
|---|---|
| BTN open (RFI) First to act | Fold 100% |
| SB open (RFI) Folded to SB | Fold 67.3% · Raise 2/2.6/3bb 32.7% |
Facing an open or a limp
| Spot | 42s |
|---|---|
| BB vs SB limp SB limps | Raise 2/2.6/3bb 62.5% · Call 37.5% |
| BB vs SB open 2bb SB opens 2bb | Call 64.5% · Fold 27.2% · Raise 6bb 8.3% |
| BB vs SB open 2.6bb SB opens 2.6bb | Fold 68% · Raise 7.8bb 24% · Call 8.1% |
| BB vs SB open 3bb SB opens 3bb | Call 90.2% · Fold 8.5% · Raise 9bb 1.3% |
| SB vs BTN limp BTN limps | Fold 61.2% · Raise 2/2.6/3bb 38.7% |
| BB vs BTN limp BTN limps | Call 94.1% · Raise 2/2.6/3bb 5.9% |
| BB vs SB limp BTN limps, SB limps | Raise 2/2.6/3bb 71.5% · Call 28.5% |
| BB vs SB iso raise 2bb BTN limps, SB isolates to 2bb | Fold 68.4% · Raise 6bb 31.5% · Call 0.1% |
| BB vs SB iso raise 2.6bb BTN limps, SB isolates to 2.6bb | Fold 90.7% · Call 7.1% · Raise 7.8bb 2.2% |
| BB vs SB iso raise 3bb BTN limps, SB isolates to 3bb | Fold 72.8% · Call 18.8% · Raise 9bb 8.5% |
| SB vs BTN open 2bb BTN opens 2bb | Fold 100% |
| BB vs BTN open 2bb BTN opens 2bb | Fold 88.2% · Call 11.8% |
| BB vs SB call BTN opens 2bb, SB calls | Fold 98.5% · Call 1.5% |
| SB vs BTN open 2.6bb BTN opens 2.6bb | Fold 100% |
| BB vs BTN open 2.6bb BTN opens 2.6bb | Fold 60.6% · Raise 7.8bb 36.5% · Call 3% |
| BB vs SB call BTN opens 2.6bb, SB calls | Fold 98.3% · Raise 7.8bb 1% · Call 0.6% |
| SB vs BTN open 3bb BTN opens 3bb | Fold 100% |
| BB vs BTN open 3bb BTN opens 3bb | Call 70.5% · Fold 27.5% · Raise 9bb 2% |
| BB vs SB call BTN opens 3bb, SB calls | Fold 93.6% · Call 5.7% · Raise 9bb 0.7% |
Facing a 3-bet
| Spot | 42s |
|---|---|
| BB vs SB 3-bet 6bb SB limps, BB isolates to 2bb, SB 3-bets to 6bb | Fold 79.1% · Call 20.9% |
| BB vs SB 3-bet 7.8bb SB limps, BB isolates to 2.6bb, SB 3-bets to 7.8bb | Fold 99.8% · Call 0.1% · Raise 18bb 0.1% |
| BB vs SB 3-bet 9bb SB limps, BB isolates to 3bb, SB 3-bets to 9bb | Fold 83.3% · Call 16.2% · Raise 20.6bb 0.5% |
| SB vs BB 3-bet 6bb SB opens 2bb, BB 3-bets to 6bb | Fold 93.9% · Raise 13.8bb 5% · Call 1% |
| SB vs BB 3-bet 7.8bb SB opens 2.6bb, BB 3-bets to 7.8bb | Fold 79% · Raise 18bb 14.6% · Call 6.3% |
| SB vs BB 3-bet 9bb SB opens 3bb, BB 3-bets to 9bb | Fold 84.8% · Raise 20.6bb 10.9% · Call 4.4% |
| BB vs BTN 3-bet 6bb BTN limps, BB isolates to 2bb, BTN 3-bets to 6bb | Fold 51.8% · Raise 13.8bb 37.9% · Call 10.3% |
| BB vs BTN 3-bet 9bb BTN limps, BB isolates to 3bb, BTN 3-bets to 9bb | Fold 90.6% · Call 8.5% · Raise 20.6bb 1% |
| SB vs BTN 3-bet 9bb BTN limps, SB isolates to 3bb, BTN 3-bets to 9bb | Fold 98.5% · Call 0.8% · Raise 20.6bb 0.7% |
| BB vs SB 3-bet 6bb BTN opens 2bb, SB 3-bets to 6bb | Fold 100% |
| BB vs SB 3-bet 7.8bb BTN opens 2.6bb, SB 3-bets to 7.8bb | Fold 98.7% · Call 1.3% |
| BB vs SB 3-bet 9bb BTN opens 3bb, SB 3-bets to 9bb | Fold 100% |
Facing a 4-bet
| Spot | 42s |
|---|---|
| BB vs SB 4-bet 13.8bb SB opens 2bb, BB 3-bets to 6bb, SB 4-bets to 13.8bb | Fold 97.2% · Call 2.2% · All-in 100bb 0.6% |
| BB vs SB 4-bet 18bb SB opens 2.6bb, BB 3-bets to 7.8bb, SB 4-bets to 18bb | Fold 96.9% · Call 3.1% |
| BB vs SB 4-bet 20.6bb SB opens 3bb, BB 3-bets to 9bb, SB 4-bets to 20.6bb | Fold 99.9% · All-in 100bb 0.1% |
| BB vs BTN 4-bet 18bb BTN opens 2.6bb, BB 3-bets to 7.8bb, BTN 4-bets to 18bb | Fold 86.8% · All-in 100bb 13.1% · Call 0.2% |
| BB vs BTN 4-bet 20.6bb BTN opens 3bb, BB 3-bets to 9bb, BTN 4-bets to 20.6bb | Fold 98.8% · Call 1.2% |
Facing a 5-bet or shove
| Spot | 42s |
|---|---|
| SB vs BB all-in SB opens 2bb, BB 3-bets to 6bb, SB 4-bets to 13.8bb, BB goes all-in | Fold 100% |
| SB vs BB all-in SB opens 2.6bb, BB 3-bets to 7.8bb, SB 4-bets to 18bb, BB goes all-in | Fold 99.8% · Call 0.2% |
| SB vs BB all-in SB opens 3bb, BB 3-bets to 9bb, SB 4-bets to 20.6bb, BB goes all-in | Fold 99.9% · Call 0.1% |
| BB vs BTN all-in BTN limps, BB isolates to 2bb, BTN 3-bets to 6bb, BB 4-bets to 13.8bb, BTN goes all-in | Fold 88.5% · Call 11.5% |
| SB vs BTN all-in BTN limps, SB isolates to 3bb, BTN 3-bets to 9bb, SB 4-bets to 20.6bb, BTN goes all-in | Fold 97.8% · Call 2.2% |
Fits exactly: no game we have checked.
Close: GGPoker regular cash NL5 (rake cap 5bb there, 10bb here).
Close: CoinPoker cash NL5 (rake cap 6bb there, 10bb here; only its tables without antes).
Close: Natural8 regular cash NL5 (rake cap 5bb there, 10bb here).
Close: ACR Poker cash NL5 (rake cap 20bb there, 10bb here; its page does not say whether pots that end before the flop are raked).
Rake sources: ggpoker.com/poker-games/texas-holdem (fetched 2026-10-31); Rush rake and preflop rake confirmed on our own GG exports (972 of 1,034 pots, 210 of 211); regular tables' preflop rule from natural8.com/en/poker/texas-holdem (same network, fetched 2026-10-31); coinpoker.com/games/texas-holdem/ (caps and the preflop rule) and coinpoker.com/guides/poker-rake/ (5%), fetched 2026-10-31; natural8.com/en/poker/texas-holdem (fetched 2026-10-31; caps by players dealt in, 3-bet pots raked before the flop); acrpoker.eu/real-money/poker-rake-calculation/ (fetched 2026-10-31).
Rake: Wrong rake for a 3-handed GG table: this solve caps the rake at 10bb, which is right only for a 6-max hand folded to the button. GG caps an NL5 table with 3 players dealt in at $0.25 (5bb). A solve with GG's cap is queued.