Poker Range Chart 101 – Learn Hand Ranges to Play Smarter
If you’ve watched any live poker games, you will have seen your fair share of insightful reads, times when poker pros seem to know precisely what their opponents are holding.
Contrary to what you might think and what Hollywood may have told you, these reads are not based on subconscious tics, and players aren’t relying on nefarious tricks, such as seeing a hand in the reflection of a tumbler or a pair of sunglasses. It’s all about understanding poker ranges.
What are Poker Hand Ranges?
A poker hand range is a collection of hands your opponent can have at any moment. It’s based on a series of assumptions following the progression of the hand, as well as how the opponent has played thus far.
For instance, if your opponent raises big, you can assume they are either bluffing or have a strong hand. If you 3-bet, they raise again, and then you call to see a flop of 6h, 7h, 8s, there’s a good chance they’re not bluffing, but there’s also a good chance they didn’t catch any of that flop.
You’d be in a very tough spot if they were holding 9 10, but at this point, that’s not in their range, as few players would take such an aggressive stance preflop with only a 9 10. They are more likely to have a big pair (such as Queens, Kings, or Aces) or a hand like A K or A Q. This is their range, and understanding where to put them will give you a better read of the hand.
If the following two cards are 2s and 4d, you know they probably missed everything and didn’t improve. If you’re holding two pairs or trips, there’s a high chance you have the winning hand.
It’s not a guarantee, of course. You can’t accurately predict the strength of poker hands every time, as outstanding players will mix things up to throw you off, while terrible players will make erratic calls, such as betting big even when they have nothing.
Poker Range Chart
A poker range chart can cover your range or your opponent’s range. With the former, you follow a guide outlining which hands you should play at which time. It typically covers poker ranges by position, as where you sit at the table is a significant factor in determining your strength.
The problem with blindly following charts outlining poker opening ranges is that they don’t consider how loose or tight your opponents are. Preflop charts and range charts are a good baseline, but that’s all.
For instance, your range is pretty small if you’re playing with eight others in late position. It is usually limited to strong hands, such as AA, AK, and KK. But what if everyone is playing tight—wasting time and folding everything in anticipation of a bubble? At that point, you take what you can get. Hands go out of the window, and it’s all about playing the table and picking up those blinds.
It’s nearly impossible to guess an opponent’s range if they are inexperienced. We’ve all played in home games where novice players bet a four-card straight to the end because they have miscounted or misunderstood.
So, consider preflop and poker opening ranges, but don’t take them as gospel.
Ranges and Game Therapy Optimal
In the last few years, many players have incorporated elements of GTO, which stands for “game theory optimal”. It’s a mathematical strategy that emphasizes randomness. The idea is that you have a better chance of winning if your opponent can’t guess your hand, so if you play randomly and mix up your strategy, they’ll never be able to figure you out.
Needless to say, if you face someone incorporating GTO, you have little chance of placing them, and if you use it yourself, you’ll be playing the table and the position more than your actual cards.
To help you get started, check out our poker table position names guide. If you’re new to poker in general, get some practice with the wide variety of video poker games that we have available.
Conclusion: Using a Poker Range Chart
Putting your opponent in a specific range is an instrumental skill many poker pros utilize. Still, it’s not easy, and depending on their experience and skill level and whether they are using elements of GTO, it could be impossible. Still, it’s a good skill, so by all means, check out a chart or two and get some practice.
Poker Common Queries
What is range in poker?
A range is a collection of hands that you think your opponent holds.
How to read a poker range chart?
It is a grid with colored squares, with the color indicating whether a certain hand is within the player’s range.
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