Part: Part Nine - Inflection Points: M, Q & the Zones
The re-steal jam
Pre-flop
Orange zone (M 9). An aggressive button that's been opening relentlessly raises again, and you're in the big blind with A♠8♠.
Orange zone, aggressive button opens, you hold A♠8♠ in the BB. Best?
WhyThat button has been opening relentlessly, so his real range is far wider than his raise size implies - and a jam over it folds out every hand that can't stand a shove. A-8 suited carries an ace-blocker and live equity the times he does call. Flatting to play a flop out of position is the actual trap; the re-jam hits his wide range where it's softest.
What happensThis time he wakes up with A-J and holds, your kicker's dominated, and you bust. The jam was still correct - against that steal frequency it prints, and getting looked up by the top of his range is variance, not a mistake.
Against a relentless stealer the re-shove is close to mandatory, even though it sometimes runs into a real hand. Judge it by the range you're attacking, not the one outcome - fold equity plus blockers make it a winner over time.
Re-steal-jam over a habitual stealer while your fold equity is still worth something - it's how a shrinking stack punches back from the blinds.