SPR Mastery Guide

Open-raise sizing

• At 30bb-45bb, 2.0bb-2.3bb opens preserve fold equity while leaving 3-bet pots near SPR 2-4.
• At 80bb-120bb, 2.3bb-2.7bb opens create playable single-raised pots without overcommitting dominated broadways.
• At 150bb+, avoid inflating marginal off-suit hands out of position because the caller keeps a high implied-odds stack.

3-bet and squeeze sizing

• In position, size near 3x the open when callers are absent; out of position, move closer to 4x to deny easy realization.
• Add roughly one open size per cold caller when squeezing so suited connectors and small pairs do not see a cheap high-SPR flop.
• With hands like AK, QQ, and JJ at 40bb-70bb, choose a size that leaves a natural low-SPR continuation plan on favorable flops.

SPR 1-3: commitment zone

• Overpairs, top pair strong kicker, pair-plus-draw, and high-equity combo draws can often stack off.
• Preflop 3-bets with AK, QQ, JJ, and AQ benefit because awkward turn and river folds disappear.
• Avoid speculative calls that cannot realize enough implied odds before the stack goes in.

SPR 4-7: planning zone

• One-pair hands can value bet but need turn-card discipline before committing the rest.
• Choose flop sizing that leaves a natural turn shove or keeps the river pot manageable.
• Bluffs work best when they have equity and can apply pressure on clear range-favoring cards.

SPR 8+: implied-odds zone

• Sets, nut flush draws, straights, and disguised two pair gain value because large mistakes are possible.
• Top pair weak kicker and overpairs need pot control against ranges that can credibly raise big later.
• Position becomes more valuable because you decide whether the pot grows on later streets.

When to commit

• Commit overpairs and top pair top kicker more freely when villain's preflop range contains worse one-pair hands.
• Commit combo draws when fold equity plus clean outs make calling a shove profitable.
• Commit less often on boards where villain owns more sets, two pair, and nut draws than you do.

When to keep room

• Check back medium pairs and weak top pair when worse hands fold and better hands continue.
• Use one-third pot bets when you want range coverage without creating a turn shove obligation.
• Do not use a low remaining SPR as an excuse to stack off hands that failed the preflop and board-texture test.

Button holds AK on A-8-4

Bet small or medium with the intention of calling off against worse Ax, draws, and tilted pairs. A 5bb flop bet creates a 26bb pot with 28bb behind, leaving a clean turn shove. Checking only makes sense against opponents who over-bluff after missed continuation bets.

Button holds 66 on Q-8-4

The low SPR does not make every pair a stack-off. Check back often because the hand blocks no strong continues and has poor equity when raised. If villain leads turn after a check, call selectively on blanks and fold more on overcards or connected cards.

Cutoff holds AA on T-7-4 two-tone

• Bet for value and protection, but avoid potting every street unless the opponent over-calls draws.
• On straight-completing or flush-completing turns, shift from stack-off mode to value-denial and pot control.
• If raised large on the turn, compare villain's bluffs to sets, two pair, straights, and combo draws before continuing.

Cutoff holds 98s on T-7-4 two-tone

• The high starting SPR makes semi-bluffing attractive because strong turns and rivers can win a full stack.
• Use larger pressure when you have pair-plus-draw or open-ender plus backdoor equity.
• Give up more often when called and the turn misses, because one bare draw cannot justify a huge pot by itself.

Hands that improve

• Small pairs, suited aces, suited connectors, and suited broadways can win large pots when they make hidden strong hands.
• Nut flush draws should pressure more confidently than weak flush draws because reverse implied odds are severe.
• Position lets button decide whether to build a pot after seeing both blinds react.

Hands that shrink

• KJo, QTo, A8o, and dominated suited kings make expensive second-best pairs too often.
• Overpairs still value bet, but large raises deserve more respect because deep stacks expand set and two-pair value.
• Top pair weak kicker should seek showdown rather than creating a three-street stack-off pot.

25bb blind-defense pot, SPR near 4

Big blind calls a cutoff min-open with KQs and flops K-9-5. Top pair strong kicker can check-raise for value against frequent c-bettors, but the raise size should leave a turn shove that still gets called by worse kings and draws.

60bb 4-bet pot, SPR below 1.5

Button 4-bets AK, big blind calls, and the flop comes A-J-6. A small bet commits the hand because the remaining stack is already tied to the pot. The decision point was the 4-bet, not the turn.

90bb squeeze pot, SPR around 5

Small blind squeezes QQ, one caller continues, and the flop is T-8-6 two-tone. Bet enough to charge pair-plus-draws, but pause on coordinated turns because SPR 5 still leaves room for villain to credibly represent sets and straights.

150bb suited-ace call, SPR above 15

Button calls A5s in position and flops a nut-flush draw on Q-8-3. Deep SPR supports pressure because made flushes can win stacks later. Weak flush draws should not copy this line because they reverse-imply themselves into dominated rivers.

Theory block

• Memorize the low, medium, and deep SPR bands.
• Name which hand classes want commitment, control, or implied odds.
• Write one sizing rule for opens, 3-bets, and 4-bets at the stack depth you play most.

Example block

• Review one low-SPR 3-bet pot with an overpair or top pair.
• Review one medium-SPR single-raised pot where the turn card changes leverage.
• Review one deep-SPR spot where position and nut advantage matter more than made-hand strength.

Practice block

• Before looking at results, calculate flop SPR and planned turn SPR.
• Choose commit, control, pressure, or abandon as the default plan.
• Compare the plan against the drill feedback and record the first street where sizing broke down.