Poker Range Analysis
What Is a Range in Poker?
A range in poker is the complete set of hands a player could hold in a given situation. Rather than trying to guess the exact two cards an opponent holds, skilled players think in terms of ranges. For example, a tight player raising from early position might have a range of Pocket Pairs from 99 upward, AK, AQ, and occasionally Suited Connectors.
Range analysis is the foundation of advanced Poker Strategy.
Constructing Opening Ranges
Opening ranges define which hands you should raise with from each position. From early position, a solid opening range might include only the top 10-12% of hands. This expands to 15-20% from middle position and 25-35% from the button.
Your opening range should be balanced, containing both premium hands and some speculative hands that can make strong Post-Flop hands on various board textures.
Narrowing Opponent Ranges
As a hand progresses, you can narrow your opponents range based on their actions. A player who raises Pre-Flop and then bets the flop on a dry board likely has overcards, a pair, or a draw. If they continue betting on the turn, their range narrows further to stronger holdings.
Each action an opponent takes provides information that eliminates certain hands from their range.
Range vs Range Equity
Rather than thinking about how your specific hand performs against one opponent hand, you should consider how your range performs against their range. This concept, called range versus range equity, is fundamental to game theory optimal play. Software tools can calculate these equities precisely, but developing intuition for range interactions is a valuable skill for live play.
Balanced vs Exploitative Ranges
A balanced range contains an appropriate mix of value hands and bluffs, making it difficult for opponents to exploit you. An exploitative range deviates from balance to target specific weaknesses in your opponents play. Against strong opponents, lean toward balance.
Against weaker opponents with clear tendencies, exploit their mistakes by adjusting your ranges accordingly.
