{"id":2525072,"date":"2023-10-17T18:10:29","date_gmt":"2023-10-17T18:10:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/?p=2525072"},"modified":"2026-01-13T14:27:27","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T14:27:27","slug":"ranges-in-poker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/ranges-in-poker\/","title":{"rendered":"Ranges in Poker \u2013 Analyze Your Hands Like a Pro"},"content":{"rendered":"<a data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/tournament-masterclass\" class=\"adv-link\" aria-label=\"tournament masterclass unlock\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/tournament-masterclass-unlock.png\" alt=\"tournament masterclass unlock\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/tournament-masterclass-unlock.png 1176w, https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/tournament-masterclass-unlock-746x143.png 746w, https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/tournament-masterclass-unlock-1024x197.png 1024w, https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/tournament-masterclass-unlock-768x148.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1176px) 100vw, 1176px\" width=\"1176\" height=\"226\"   \/><\/a>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<p>The biggest challenge players face when learning <a href=\"http:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/how-to-play-poker\/\" title=\"How to Play Poker: Winning Strategy for Beginners\">how to play poker<\/a> is figuring out what hand their opponent is holding. While many players focus on guessing the exact two cards their opponent has, poker pros use the concept of poker ranges to play the game more effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Simply put, a poker range is a group of hands a player can have in a given situation, considering the action that led to that spot and all the other factors at play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of putting your opponent on AK and making that hero call with the bottom pair over and over again, you will need to learn how to think about ranges in poker and determine them more precisely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are just getting started, you have come to the right place, as we will teach you how to approach this area, how to balance your own range, and much more.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-faq uagb-faq__outer-wrap uagb-block-af4ef18a uagb-faq-icon-row uagb-faq-layout-accordion uagb-faq-expand-first-false uagb-faq-inactive-other-true uagb-faq__wrap uagb-buttons-layout-wrap uagb-faq-equal-height     \" data-faqtoggle=\"true\" role=\"tablist\"><div class=\"wp-block-uagb-faq-child uagb-faq-child__outer-wrap uagb-faq-item uagb-block-b9c2e7bf \" role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"uagb-faq-questions-button uagb-faq-questions\">\t\t\t<span class=\"uagb-icon uagb-faq-icon-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox= \"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M432 256c0 17.69-14.33 32.01-32 32.01H256v144c0 17.69-14.33 31.99-32 31.99s-32-14.3-32-31.99v-144H48c-17.67 0-32-14.32-32-32.01s14.33-31.99 32-31.99H192v-144c0-17.69 14.33-32.01 32-32.01s32 14.32 32 32.01v144h144C417.7 224 432 238.3 432 256z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uagb-icon-active uagb-faq-icon-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox= \"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M400 288h-352c-17.69 0-32-14.32-32-32.01s14.31-31.99 32-31.99h352c17.69 0 32 14.3 32 31.99S417.7 288 400 288z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"uagb-question\"><strong>TLDR:<\/strong>\u00a0See AI summary of this article.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"uagb-faq-content\"><p>* <strong>Think in Ranges, Not Specific Hands<\/strong>: Instead of guessing exact hands, consider the full spectrum of hands an opponent might hold based on their actions and position.<br>* <strong>Preflop Ranges Depend on Position and Player Type<\/strong>: Early position players typically have tighter ranges, while late position players might play a wider range of hands.<br><strong>Narrow Opponent&#8217;s Range Through Actions<\/strong>: Each betting action provides information. For example, a large preflop raise from early position suggests a strong range.<br>* <strong>Understand Range Advantage<\/strong>: On certain board textures, one player&#8217;s range may have a significant advantage. Recognizing this can inform betting strategies.<br>* <strong>Differentiate Between Linear and Polarized Ranges<\/strong>: A linear range includes a sequence of strong hands, while a polarized range consists of very strong hands and bluffs, excluding medium-strength hands.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Mastering The Fundamentals: Poker Ranges\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/qjqrayvDYMs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-table-of-contents uagb-toc__align-left uagb-toc__columns-1  uagb-block-c844d43e      \"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-scroll= \"1\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-offset= \"30\"\n\t\t\t\t\tstyle=\"\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"uagb-toc__wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"uagb-toc__title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTable Of Contents\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox= \"0 0 384 512\"><path d=\"M192 384c-8.188 0-16.38-3.125-22.62-9.375l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-12.5-32.75 0-45.25s32.75-12.5 45.25 0L192 306.8l137.4-137.4c12.5-12.5 32.75-12.5 45.25 0s12.5 32.75 0 45.25l-160 160C208.4 380.9 200.2 384 192 384z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"uagb-toc__list-wrap \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<ol class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#what-is-a-poker-range\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">What Is a Poker Range?<\/a><ul class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#visualizing-a-poker-range-hand-grid-and-percentages\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Visualizing a Poker Range \u2013 Hand Grid and Percentages<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#determining-preflop-poker-ranges\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Determining Preflop Poker Ranges<\/a><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#how-to-narrow-down-your-opponents-range\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">How to Narrow Down Your Opponent\u2019s Range<\/a><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#balancing-your-poker-ranges\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Balancing Your Poker Ranges<\/a><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#final-words-on-poker-ranges\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Final Words on Poker Ranges<\/a><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#poker-ranges-faq\" class=\"uagb-toc-link__trigger\">Poker Ranges FAQ<\/a><\/ul><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is a Poker Range?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Very simply put, a poker range is a collection of all <a href=\"http:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/poker-hands\/\" title=\"Poker Hand Rankings &amp; The Best Texas Hold\u2019em Hands\">poker hands<\/a> a player can have in a given situation, considering all the factors that could impact the range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You will be able to determine players\u2019 poker ranges based on their position, preflop play, flop, turn, and river actions, bet sizes, and sometimes even particular tells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is important to realize that each action a player takes helps narrow their range down and tells us a story about the possible hands they can have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Did your opponent call a huge isolation raise before the flop? Chances are 93 offsuit is not in their range unless they are a complete calling station, which would be another element helping you determine a range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the hand goes on and players take more action, you should be able to continue narrowing their possible holdings down until you are left with only a handful of potential hands by the river.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"568\" height=\"596\" src=\"http:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/PC-GTO-Preflop-Chart.png\" alt=\"GTO preflop chart 40 big blinds cutoff PokerCoaching.com\" class=\"wp-image-2525193\" style=\"width:389px;height:408px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/PC-GTO-Preflop-Chart.png 568w, https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/PC-GTO-Preflop-Chart-400x420.png 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em><strong>Preflop charts like the ones found on PokerCoaching.com can help you know the <\/strong><\/em><br><em><strong>proper ranges to use when playing in poker tournaments and cash games.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Visualizing a Poker Range \u2013 Hand Grid and Percentages<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The hand grid is one of the most popular tools for analyzing poker hands. It is made up of all the possible card combinations, with the upper part representing suited hands and the lower part representing offsuit hands and pocket pairs shown on the diagonal line across the grid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When looking at poker ranges, the hand grid is the easiest way to visualize a player\u2019s range, remove hands according to the ongoing action, and figure out which hands you could actually be up against.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You will not have a hand grid open when you play poker, but using various strategies while studying&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/what-is-gto-poker\/\" target=\"_blank\">GTO poker<\/a>&nbsp;will help you visualize the game in your head, even while actually playing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another way to display a player\u2019s range is as a percentage of all possible hands. For instance, a 15% range will consist of the top 15% of all <a href=\"http:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/best-texas-holdem-starting-hands\/\" title=\"Master The Best Texas Hold\u2019em Starting Hands \u2013 Top 10 List\">starting hands in poker<\/a>, although this number can be misleading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If properly constructed, a poker range will consist of strong hands and bluffs, which means it could contain hands that don\u2019t belong to the top x% of all hands on the grid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That said, depending on the player and the position they are playing for, you should be able to determine the % of hands they are playing in a given hand with a reasonable success rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Determining Preflop Poker Ranges<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The process of putting a player on a particular range starts before the flop, the moment they put their first chip into the pot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When the cards are dealt, everyone works within a 100% range, but in most cases, players who enter a pot without being forced to will not have 100% of all hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A number of factors can help you put a player on a particular group of hands before the flop. Just a few things to consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Player profile<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Position<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Their actions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"955\" height=\"536\" src=\"http:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Table-Position-Display.png\" alt=\"Player positions at the poker table under-the-gun, lojack, hijack, cutoff, button, small blind, big blind.\" class=\"wp-image-2525205\" style=\"width:663px;height:372px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Table-Position-Display.png 955w, https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Table-Position-Display-746x420.png 746w, https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Table-Position-Display-373x210.png 373w, https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Table-Position-Display-768x431.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 955px) 100vw, 955px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em><strong>The above diagram displays the names of each position in a 9-handed poker game.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A player opening to 3x from an early position will certainly tell us something about their range, although it can differ quite a bit from one player to the next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For the most part, serious poker players play similar starting hands, as game theory optimal opening ranges have been calculated, and steering too far away from them is generally not a good idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, it is important to keep in mind that many players don\u2019t actually know what hand ranges they should be opening or calling with from various positions, which will force us to make some guesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the end of the preflop betting round, you should be in a position where you have an approximation of each remaining player\u2019s range, which will still be fairly wide in most cases, especially in single raised pots. If you are not sure about what ranges players might be starting with, here is a quick table that demonstrates the most common opening % from each table position in a full-ring game from someone adopting a solid <a href=\"http:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/poker-strategy-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">poker strategy<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">     <strong>STARTING POSITION<\/strong>       <\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>COMMON RAISE FIRST IN RANGES<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">UTG<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">8%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">UTG+1<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">10%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">UTG+2<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">12%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">LJ<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">15%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">HJ<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">22%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">CO<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">28%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">BTN<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">45%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">SB<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">65%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">BB<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Can&#8217;t RFI<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Narrow Down Your Opponent\u2019s Range<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Once the flop is dealt in <a href=\"http:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/how-to-play-poker\/texas-holdem-rules\/\" title=\"How To Play Texas Hold\u2019em \u2013 Poker Rules &amp; Basics\">Texas Hold&#8217;em<\/a>, the real ranging process can begin, as you can start removing hands from players\u2019 ranges and narrowing them down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Narrowing down a player\u2019s likely holdings is an art that requires you to pay close attention to what&#8217;s happening at the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each action on each of the three postflop betting streets will give you new information about your opponent\u2019s hand, which you can use to narrow down their range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As you move into the later betting streets, you can ask yourself a variety of questions that will help you determine which hands they still can and can\u2019t have in their range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some of these questions can be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Would my opponent c-bet this board texture if they missed it completely?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Would my opponent check this flop with a flush draw?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Which hands would my opponent bet small with on the flop?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Did the turn card improve my opponent\u2019s hand?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Am I playing against a very tight opponent?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is my opponent a calling station?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Does my opponent like to pull big bluffs?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Each of these questions can help you make educated guesses about your opponent\u2019s range and take certain hands out of it altogether. Keep practicing these skills, and make sure to always ask yourself as many questions about your opponent as you can before making any decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over time, you will become so good at putting players on ranges that you will make very few mistakes, and your decisions will become a lot easier and more profitable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/range-analyzer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"892\" height=\"397\" src=\"http:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/PC-Range-Analyzer.png\" alt=\"Poker range analyzer PokerCoaching.com solver for no-limit hold'em poker tournaments and cash games.\" class=\"wp-image-2525223\" style=\"width:883px;height:393px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/PC-Range-Analyzer.png 892w, https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/PC-Range-Analyzer-746x332.png 746w, https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/PC-Range-Analyzer-768x342.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 892px) 100vw, 892px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong><em>Tools like the <a href=\"http:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/range-analyzer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">FREE Range Analyzer on PokerCoaching.com<\/a> <\/em><\/strong><br><strong><em>can help you better study poker ranges.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Balancing Your Poker Ranges<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While identifying the poker ranges of other players at the table is an essential part of any good poker strategy, the very best players are also aware of their range and build it in a balanced way that does not allow their opponents to exploit it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Balancing it out is a difficult process that starts before the flop and continues through every betting round in the hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first part includes enough bluffing hands in your <a href=\"http:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/preflop-charts\" title=\"\">pre-flop raising<\/a> and 3-betting ranges, but it is also important to remain balanced throughout the hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many players will bluff way too often or too rarely after the flop, making their strategy easily exploitable by opponents who are paying attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the other hand, a well-balanced strategy will strive to always include just the right amount of bluffs for every bet size and always keep the opponents guessing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep in mind that playing a perfectly balanced strategy is impossible for humans, but learning from <a href=\"http:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/poker-solvers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">poker solvers<\/a> and trying to mimic their level of balance will make you a nearly unbeatable player at the poker table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final Words on Poker Ranges<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Thinking about poker in terms of ranges instead of particular hands is one of the hardest skills to master in poker, so don\u2019t worry if you aren\u2019t quite there just yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The most important thing is to always return to your sessions after you play them, analyze your hands, and try to consider your opponent\u2019s and possible ranges in honest and realistic ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fortunately, quite a few poker tools, including our <a href=\"http:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/cheatsheets\" title=\"\">poker cheat sheets<\/a>, help you visualize and compare your opponents&#8217; ranges. This is definitely the best way to practice ranging your opponents and calculating your equity against particular ranges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you start working with these tools today, we can promise you that in a few months, you will become a much better poker player and will learn to think about the game in a whole new way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Poker Ranges FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-faq uagb-faq__outer-wrap uagb-block-9d6cd8a0 uagb-faq-icon-row uagb-faq-layout-accordion uagb-faq-expand-first-false uagb-faq-inactive-other-true uagb-faq__wrap uagb-buttons-layout-wrap uagb-faq-equal-height     \" data-faqtoggle=\"true\" role=\"tablist\"><div class=\"wp-block-uagb-faq-child uagb-faq-child__outer-wrap uagb-faq-item uagb-block-2f66361f \" role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"uagb-faq-questions-button uagb-faq-questions\">\t\t\t<span class=\"uagb-icon uagb-faq-icon-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox= \"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M432 256c0 17.69-14.33 32.01-32 32.01H256v144c0 17.69-14.33 31.99-32 31.99s-32-14.3-32-31.99v-144H48c-17.67 0-32-14.32-32-32.01s14.33-31.99 32-31.99H192v-144c0-17.69 14.33-32.01 32-32.01s32 14.32 32 32.01v144h144C417.7 224 432 238.3 432 256z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uagb-icon-active uagb-faq-icon-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox= \"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M400 288h-352c-17.69 0-32-14.32-32-32.01s14.31-31.99 32-31.99h352c17.69 0 32 14.3 32 31.99S417.7 288 400 288z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"uagb-question\"><strong>What is a range in poker?<\/strong><\/h3><\/div><div class=\"uagb-faq-content\"><p>A range in poker is a spectrum of poker hands a player can have in a particular situation. The concept of ranges allows you to think about your hand and your opponent\u2019s hands in terms of a collection of hands rather than one particular hand. When analyzing an opponent\u2019s range, you will narrow it down with each new action that takes place, eventually pinpointing the player\u2019s potential holdings.\u00a0<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-uagb-faq-child uagb-faq-child__outer-wrap uagb-faq-item uagb-block-daf9c30f \" role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"uagb-faq-questions-button uagb-faq-questions\">\t\t\t<span class=\"uagb-icon uagb-faq-icon-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox= \"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M432 256c0 17.69-14.33 32.01-32 32.01H256v144c0 17.69-14.33 31.99-32 31.99s-32-14.3-32-31.99v-144H48c-17.67 0-32-14.32-32-32.01s14.33-31.99 32-31.99H192v-144c0-17.69 14.33-32.01 32-32.01s32 14.32 32 32.01v144h144C417.7 224 432 238.3 432 256z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uagb-icon-active uagb-faq-icon-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox= \"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M400 288h-352c-17.69 0-32-14.32-32-32.01s14.31-31.99 32-31.99h352c17.69 0 32 14.3 32 31.99S417.7 288 400 288z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"uagb-question\"><strong>How do I memorize poker ranges?<\/strong><\/h3><\/div><div class=\"uagb-faq-content\"><p>In order to memorize a poker range, it is best to create a visual representation of the range using one of the many poker range tools. Then, try to remember the cutoff hands, which are the worst hands from each category you should play in a given situation. Remember that it is not critical to always play perfect ranges but rather to play ranges that are as close to optimal as possible.\u00a0<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-uagb-faq-child uagb-faq-child__outer-wrap uagb-faq-item uagb-block-954417fa \" role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"uagb-faq-questions-button uagb-faq-questions\">\t\t\t<span class=\"uagb-icon uagb-faq-icon-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox= \"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M432 256c0 17.69-14.33 32.01-32 32.01H256v144c0 17.69-14.33 31.99-32 31.99s-32-14.3-32-31.99v-144H48c-17.67 0-32-14.32-32-32.01s14.33-31.99 32-31.99H192v-144c0-17.69 14.33-32.01 32-32.01s32 14.32 32 32.01v144h144C417.7 224 432 238.3 432 256z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uagb-icon-active uagb-faq-icon-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox= \"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M400 288h-352c-17.69 0-32-14.32-32-32.01s14.31-31.99 32-31.99h352c17.69 0 32 14.3 32 31.99S417.7 288 400 288z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"uagb-question\"><strong>What is an opening range in poker?<\/strong><\/h3><\/div><div class=\"uagb-faq-content\"><p>An opening range in poker is a range of hands you should be raising if you are the first player into the pot. This is the percentage of hands you should raise when you are the first player to take aggressive action, which is also why these ranges are referred to as raise first in (RFI) ranges.<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-uagb-faq-child uagb-faq-child__outer-wrap uagb-faq-item uagb-block-b48690fa \" role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"uagb-faq-questions-button uagb-faq-questions\">\t\t\t<span class=\"uagb-icon uagb-faq-icon-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox= \"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M432 256c0 17.69-14.33 32.01-32 32.01H256v144c0 17.69-14.33 31.99-32 31.99s-32-14.3-32-31.99v-144H48c-17.67 0-32-14.32-32-32.01s14.33-31.99 32-31.99H192v-144c0-17.69 14.33-32.01 32-32.01s32 14.32 32 32.01v144h144C417.7 224 432 238.3 432 256z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uagb-icon-active uagb-faq-icon-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox= \"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M400 288h-352c-17.69 0-32-14.32-32-32.01s14.31-31.99 32-31.99h352c17.69 0 32 14.3 32 31.99S417.7 288 400 288z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"uagb-question\"><strong>How do I narrow down my opponent\u2019s range?<\/strong><\/h3><\/div><div class=\"uagb-faq-content\"><p>You can narrow down a player\u2019s range by observing their actions and tendencies. With each new action that a player makes, you should be able to remove some hands from their range. Their preflop action will be the first step in determining a range, and each subsequent check, bet, raise, or call will give you a chance to narrow down their range even further.\u00a0<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-uagb-faq-child uagb-faq-child__outer-wrap uagb-faq-item uagb-block-2086bb88 \" role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"uagb-faq-questions-button uagb-faq-questions\">\t\t\t<span class=\"uagb-icon uagb-faq-icon-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox= \"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M432 256c0 17.69-14.33 32.01-32 32.01H256v144c0 17.69-14.33 31.99-32 31.99s-32-14.3-32-31.99v-144H48c-17.67 0-32-14.32-32-32.01s14.33-31.99 32-31.99H192v-144c0-17.69 14.33-32.01 32-32.01s32 14.32 32 32.01v144h144C417.7 224 432 238.3 432 256z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uagb-icon-active uagb-faq-icon-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox= \"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M400 288h-352c-17.69 0-32-14.32-32-32.01s14.31-31.99 32-31.99h352c17.69 0 32 14.3 32 31.99S417.7 288 400 288z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"uagb-question\"><strong>What is a range advantage in poker?<\/strong><\/h3><\/div><div class=\"uagb-faq-content\"><p>Range advantage in poker refers to a situation in which one player\u2019s range has a significant advantage over another player\u2019s range on a given board. For example, a board of AKQ heavily favors the UTG raiser\u2019s range over the BB caller\u2019s range, as the raiser\u2019s range has a lot more strong hands like AA, KK, QQ, AK, AQ, and JT on this board than the defender\u2019s range.\u00a0<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-uagb-faq-child uagb-faq-child__outer-wrap uagb-faq-item uagb-block-7c6a70b9 \" role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"uagb-faq-questions-button uagb-faq-questions\">\t\t\t<span class=\"uagb-icon uagb-faq-icon-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox= \"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M432 256c0 17.69-14.33 32.01-32 32.01H256v144c0 17.69-14.33 31.99-32 31.99s-32-14.3-32-31.99v-144H48c-17.67 0-32-14.32-32-32.01s14.33-31.99 32-31.99H192v-144c0-17.69 14.33-32.01 32-32.01s32 14.32 32 32.01v144h144C417.7 224 432 238.3 432 256z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uagb-icon-active uagb-faq-icon-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox= \"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M400 288h-352c-17.69 0-32-14.32-32-32.01s14.31-31.99 32-31.99h352c17.69 0 32 14.3 32 31.99S417.7 288 400 288z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"uagb-question\"><strong>What is a balanced range in poker?<\/strong><\/h3><\/div><div class=\"uagb-faq-content\"><p>A balanced range is a hand range that contains a balanced amount of value hands and bluffs. If you want to play good poker, you should always aim to balance your ranges, at least to some degree. You can play unbalanced ranges for the purpose of exploiting your opponents\u2019 tendencies, but this will also make your own ranges open to exploitation.\u00a0<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-uagb-faq-child uagb-faq-child__outer-wrap uagb-faq-item uagb-block-5d90afee \" role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"uagb-faq-questions-button uagb-faq-questions\">\t\t\t<span class=\"uagb-icon uagb-faq-icon-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox= \"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M432 256c0 17.69-14.33 32.01-32 32.01H256v144c0 17.69-14.33 31.99-32 31.99s-32-14.3-32-31.99v-144H48c-17.67 0-32-14.32-32-32.01s14.33-31.99 32-31.99H192v-144c0-17.69 14.33-32.01 32-32.01s32 14.32 32 32.01v144h144C417.7 224 432 238.3 432 256z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uagb-icon-active uagb-faq-icon-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox= \"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M400 288h-352c-17.69 0-32-14.32-32-32.01s14.31-31.99 32-31.99h352c17.69 0 32 14.3 32 31.99S417.7 288 400 288z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"uagb-question\"><strong>What is a linear poker range?<\/strong><\/h3><\/div><div class=\"uagb-faq-content\"><p>A linear poker range is a range of hands that is typically very strong and does not include any gaps or big jumps in value. A linear range is made up of the strongest hands, and the best draws on a given board without any weak bluffs in the mix.\u00a0<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-uagb-faq-child uagb-faq-child__outer-wrap uagb-faq-item uagb-block-a60246de \" role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"uagb-faq-questions-button uagb-faq-questions\">\t\t\t<span class=\"uagb-icon uagb-faq-icon-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox= \"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M432 256c0 17.69-14.33 32.01-32 32.01H256v144c0 17.69-14.33 31.99-32 31.99s-32-14.3-32-31.99v-144H48c-17.67 0-32-14.32-32-32.01s14.33-31.99 32-31.99H192v-144c0-17.69 14.33-32.01 32-32.01s32 14.32 32 32.01v144h144C417.7 224 432 238.3 432 256z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"uagb-icon-active uagb-faq-icon-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox= \"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M400 288h-352c-17.69 0-32-14.32-32-32.01s14.31-31.99 32-31.99h352c17.69 0 32 14.3 32 31.99S417.7 288 400 288z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"uagb-question\"><strong>What is a polarized poker range?<\/strong><\/h3><\/div><div class=\"uagb-faq-content\"><p>A polarized hand range is a range made up of the strongest possible hands and complete bluffs on a given board. A polarized range does not include any hands of middling value but rather only hands that are the virtual nuts and bluffs with very little equity.\u00a0<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The biggest challenge players face when learning how to play poker is figuring out what hand their opponent is holding. While many players focus on guessing the exact two cards their opponent has, poker pros [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":160,"featured_media":2525399,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[44,877,16,41],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2525072","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cash-games","category-poker-basics","category-poker-strategy","category-tournaments"],"acf":{"peak_live_date":"20241005"},"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/PC-Blog_Ranges-in-Poker-\u2013-Analyze-Your-Hands-Like-a-Pro.png",1280,720,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/PC-Blog_Ranges-in-Poker-\u2013-Analyze-Your-Hands-Like-a-Pro-373x210.png",373,210,true],"medium":["https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/PC-Blog_Ranges-in-Poker-\u2013-Analyze-Your-Hands-Like-a-Pro-746x420.png",746,420,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/PC-Blog_Ranges-in-Poker-\u2013-Analyze-Your-Hands-Like-a-Pro-768x432.png",768,432,true],"large":["https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/PC-Blog_Ranges-in-Poker-\u2013-Analyze-Your-Hands-Like-a-Pro-1024x576.png",1024,576,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/PC-Blog_Ranges-in-Poker-\u2013-Analyze-Your-Hands-Like-a-Pro.png",1280,720,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/PC-Blog_Ranges-in-Poker-\u2013-Analyze-Your-Hands-Like-a-Pro.png",1280,720,false],"author_image":["https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/PC-Blog_Ranges-in-Poker-\u2013-Analyze-Your-Hands-Like-a-Pro-100x100.png",100,100,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Jonathan Little","author_link":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/author\/jonathan_little\/"},"uagb_comment_info":47,"uagb_excerpt":"The biggest challenge players face when learning how to play poker is figuring out what hand their opponent is holding. While many players focus on guessing the exact two cards their opponent has, poker pros [&hellip;]","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2525072","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/160"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2525072"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2525072\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2542090,"href":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2525072\/revisions\/2542090"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2525399"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2525072"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2525072"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2525072"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}