how to determine effective stack?

[xuronggodfrey@gmail.com]

This question has been bothering me a while, any comments or insights will be highly appreciated!

We all know according to GTO play, we need to play different ranges at different stack depths even in the same position, but how to determine the right stack depth is a big concern!

For example: I have 80bbs on LJ and everyone folds to me. the player remaining are HJ(25bbs), CO(15BBs), BTN(90BBs), SB(30BB) and BB(40bbs). Genereally, BB is the most likely the player you gonna play against, so in this case the effective stack depth is 40bbs.

BUT the player on the BTN is the somewhat active player and get involved in a lot of pots especially in the position, in this case the effective stack depth is 80bbs, which is a huge differnence from 40bbs depth.
Unfortunately I can NOT know who I gonna play against in advance, therefore what range should I open correspondingly?

[TB27]

With a stack as small as CO's acting behind you, that 15BB is the effective stack. In this set up I'd be more concerned about CO shoving unless we have the idea that CO is playing super tight.

If CO isn't a concern, my opinion is that you'd want to default to the 40BB range because its closer to average while 90BB is an outlier. If you are strategizing to the outlier I believe you are easier to exploit.

However, you have to define "active" for the BTN at the table. If he is using the bully stack against everyone, including you, that will dramatically affect your ranges. If he wants to pick on the smaller stacks but stays out of your way, that affects your ranges. If he's calling you in position and putting you in tough spots post this will affect your ranges.

I'm currently in the middle of JL's "Excelling at No Limit Hold 'em" (not his newest, which is Excelling at Tough No Limit). There's an entire chapter of this stuff in there. Like "If you have the 2nd stack and you are close behind the largest stack, play like this. If you are the 2nd stack but the largest stack has a huge stack play like this." Its very detailed, so I recommend reading that for a more thorough answer to your question.