The Nutball Tournament System - Preflop 1

Based upon the work on optimal preflop strategies I have begun reworking GTO to account for implied/reverse implied odds with a fairly deep stack. This will introduce the preflop strategy of the "nutball tournament system". I also will try to simply the 3bet and 4bet rather than having separate strategies depending on where the raiser came from.

In reality the weak kicker high card hands are just as likely to win a bluff, but not very likely to get to showdown when high card wins. They also can lose a lot of value when they hit their hand, and can never really win a big pot without being at risk that their hand is second best. As such, in no limit hold em with deeper stacks, we much rather prefer a more aggressive approach with connected and suited cards with drawing potential rather than just looking at the hand with the most theoretical equity when it's checked to river.

The separator || signals where the hands that theoretically have value over an approximately optimal 3bet vs those that are "bluff" raises. The hands before represent "value" the hands after represent "bluffs". This is done so you know how to adapt vs different opponents.

If opponents calls or raises more than 50% of the time you raise, some of the bluff raises should disappear, but a couple more hands may have value vs a caller or raiser. If the opponent folds too often, you can add some bluff raises.  It isn't that some of those hands won't be  best now half the time, but it is that when good opponent gives you action he probably has those "bluff" hands beat or at least is a coinflip vs them and unless you really hit the flop it's hard to know where you are at.

No Antes:
8: JJ+,AK || 77-TT A9s+,KTs+,QTs+,[67s-KQs]
7: JJ+,AK,Aqs || 55-TT, A9s+,KTs+,QTs+,[67s-KQs]
6: JJ+,AQ+ || 33-TT, A4s+,KTs+,QTs+,[45s-KQs]
5: TT+,AQ+ || 22+,A4s+,K9s+,Q9s, [45s-KQs]
4: 99+,AQ+,AJs,KQs || 22-88, A2s+,K9s+,Q9s+, [64s-J9s]+,45s
3: 88+,AJ+,ATs,KQs || 22-77, KQ, A2s+,K9s+,Q9s+, [64s-J9s]+,45s
2: 66+,AT+,KQ,A9s,KJs+ || 22-77, [78-QJ], A2s+,K2s+,Q8s+, [53s-J9s]+
1: 44+,A7+,KT+,QJ,A2s+,K9s+,QTs+ || 22,33,A2-A6,k2-K9,Q8-QT,J7+,T7+,97+,[45o-87o], Q2s+,J7s+,T6s+,95s+,85s+,74s+,64s+,54s,43s


3bets
Giving you a good idea of how to balance your ranges with help from Ed Miller in the book "the course" I came up with a few tweaks and the following ranges.

When facing tight raise
If you have QQ: if left card is black, 3bet, if left card is red, flat.
Otherwise:
3bet: AA,KK,[QQ],A5s,{T8s}
flat: 22-JJ,[QQ],AK,Ats+,Kts+,Qts+,{JTs,T9s,98s,87s,76s}
{only flat the suited connectors in position and only raise T8s in position}
When facing loose raise
3bet: QQ+,AK,A2s-A5s,{T9s,87s}
flat: 22-JJ,AQ,A6s+,KTs+,QTs+,JTs,{98s,76s}
{in position only, otherwise fold}

4bets:
When Facing a 3bet:
4bet:QQ+,AK+,AQs, A5s,T8s
flat:88-TT,[QQ],AQ,AJs,{AJo,ATs,KQs}

(play this way or tighter without antes but obviously it is more opponent dependent)
You may have implied odds to flat with mid pairs too, plus a slight chance of seeing a showdown or going with a few really good flops like having an overpair and some back door outs to straight or flush.
I may be slightly too aggressive with not having AJ in middle or early position. But if you bet bluff or raise bluff lots of flops or set up bluffs on turn by checking, calling (floating), or minraising, suited connectors will very frequently have backdoor draws and gutshots or better which allows you to do well in games where it is uncommon to see a lot of showdowns anyways and top pair less than top kicker is often not good anyways.
As you get closer to shallow stack, the headsup hands like weaker aces and kings and queens become more powerful and the suited connectors and small pairs lose value.

Antes:
8: TT+,AQ+,Ajs | 22-88, A9s+,[45s-KQs]
7: TT+,AJ+,Ats+,KQs | 22-88, {A9s-J9s}+,[45s-KQs]
6: 88+,AJ+,Ats+,KQs | 22-88, A4s+,{A9s-J9s}+,[45s-KQs]
5: 77+,AT+,KQ,A7s+,KTs+ | 22+,[KQo-T9o],A2s+,K9s+,Q9s+,[64s-J9s]+,54s
4: 77+,A8+,KT+,A2s+,K9s+,QTs |22+,[45o-KQo],K7s+,Q8s+,J8s+,[53s-J9s]+,43s
3: 66+,A8+,KT+,A2s+,K9s+,QTs+ |22+,[45o-KQo],K4s+,Q8s+,J8s+,[53s-J9s]+,43s
2: 22+,A2+,k2+,Q2+,J5+,T7+,97+,86+,Q2s+,J2s+,T2s+,94s+,84s+,74s+,64s+,54s,43s
1: A2+,K2+,Q2+,J2+,T5+,96+,85+,75+,64+,54,T2s+,93s+,84s+,74s+,63s+,53s+,43s

3bet or flat:
when facing tight raise
3bet: QQ+,AK,A2s-A5s,T9s,87s
flat: 22-JJ,AQ,A6s+,K9s+,Q9s+,J9s+,T8s+,98s,76s,65s,54s
when facing loose raise
3bet: TT+,AQ,AJs,A2s-A5s,T9s,98s,87s,76s,65s,54s
flat: 22-TT,AJ,KT+,QT+,JT,T9,98,87,76,65,54,A6s+,K9s+,Q9s+,J8s+,T8s,97s,86+,75s

When Facing a 3bet you might construct some balance like this as the "default" range with no information.
4bet:QQ-KK,[AA] AK+,AQs, A5s,T8s
flat:88-TT,[AA] AJ-AQ,ATs,KQs.
(or looser, but obviously this is more opponent dependent)


Theoretically the wider your raising range the more you should defend by calling or 4betting, but there's some give and take. If opponents are letting you rob them preflop without reraising you a lot, let them "exploit you". Unless it becomes a regular pattern no big deal, and even if it does you can simply tighten up your raise range AND widen your 4bet range.

If left ace is any card but a spade 4bet, if it's a spade flat call. That's just to get you an idea, but facing bets is more about situations.

There are several considerations when facing a 3bet. I really hate it because everything is wrong unless you have a lot of information on your opponent or a monster hand. Even with information it's easy to be mislead intentionally by a crafty opponent who uses his image to exploit.
So that's why 3betting can be pretty profitable and why facing it is challenging.
You can inflate the pot with a superior holding to a loose opponent or take it down preflop with a good chance of taking it down after the flop since opponents will miss the flop a lot if premium pairs aren't a large percentage of your opponent's holdings to begin with.
But if that were the case and he were tight preflop, he wouldn't be a good candidate to 3bet without a much stronger hand.