Poker Ranges Explained: A Beginner-Friendly Guide for New Players

Once you start learning poker, you’ll quickly see the term “range” everywhere. You may have heard it in YouTube strategy videos or read it in articles: “Villain has a wide range here,” or “Our range has the advantage.”

In this article, we’ll explain what a poker range is and how to use it in real games, in a way that’s easy to understand even if you’re brand new to poker.

1. What Is a “Range” in Poker?

A “range” refers to the full set of hands a player can have in a given situation. A visual chart that shows which hands you should play (and which you shouldn’t) is called a “range chart.”

Note: Range charts often use labels like AKs and AKo. “s” (suited) means both cards share the same suit. “o” (offsuit) means the suits are different. Many range charts list suited hands on one axis and offsuit hands on the other.

For example, when an opponent raises preflop, they might have big cards like As Kc, a suited connector like 8h 7h, or even a small pocket pair.

This list of hands your opponent could realistically hold is their range.

Why Are Ranges So Important?

Poker is a game where you can’t know for sure whether you’re ahead or behind until showdown.

By estimating what hands your opponent is likely to have, you can choose better actions such as betting, calling, or folding.

The concept of ranges also helps when you think about how your own hand looks from your opponent’s perspective.

2. The Basics of Range Thinking

Preflop Ranges

In poker, the first ranges you should learn are preflop ranges. For example, strategy books and training sites often show charts like “recommended hands to raise from UTG (Under the Gun).” These charts are guidelines that say, “If you’re going to raise from this position, these hands create a solid, balanced strategy.”

As a beginner, one of the fastest ways to improve is to use a preflop range chart as a reference and memorize a simple baseline like, “From this position, I mainly play these hands.”

How Position Changes Your Range

In poker, positions that act later (like the BTN) have a big advantage. The later your position, the easier it becomes to play more hands, meaning you can widen your range.

• Examples
  • From UTG (first to act), you typically open-raise only relatively strong hands like Ah Kd or Qs Qh.
  • From the BTN (Button) or SB (Small Blind), depending on how the action folds to you, you can play a wider range that includes suited connectors and smaller pairs.

The key takeaway is simple: your position changes how you build your range.

Ranges by Action

A range isn’t just “all possible hands.” It also changes based on the player’s action.

• Open range

  The hands a player raises with when they open the pot.

• Calling range

  The hands a player calls with (including cold calls).

• 3-bet range and 4-bet range

  The hands a player uses to re-raise against an open-raise or a 3-bet.

By thinking through what hands a player can take with each action, you can build a clearer picture of their overall range.

With the POKER Q'z app, you can not only check ranges by position and action, but also practice in realistic scenarios to see whether you’re actually playing according to the correct ranges.

The app is free to start, so if you haven’t downloaded it yet, we recommend installing it.

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3. Benefits of Thinking in Ranges

1. It becomes easier to estimate your opponent’s strength

• Whether your opponent raised from UTG, raised from the BTN, or fired back with a 3-bet makes a huge difference in what hands they’re likely to have.

• When you factor that in, you can better predict how often they connect with the flop and what kinds of actions they’re likely to take on the turn and river.

2. It becomes easier to choose your own action

• If your opponent’s range is weighted toward strong hands, you should usually avoid careless bluffs or loose calls.

• If your opponent’s range is wide and includes many weak hands, your continuation bets and bluffs may succeed more often.

3. You can evaluate your hand as part of your range

• For example, if you raise on the button and the big blind calls, the situation becomes “your button opening range” vs “their calling range.”

• From there, the key is to judge where your current hand sits within your overall range, which helps you decide your next move (bet, check, or fold).

4. Key Factors to Consider When Putting Someone on a Range

1. Their position

• Early positions (UTG, HJ) usually play tighter, stronger ranges.

• Raises from the BTN or CO often come from wider ranges.

2. Their playing style

• Tight players enter pots with strong hands more often.

• Loose-aggressive players may include more broadways and suited connectors.

3. Stack size and format (tournament vs cash game)

• In late-stage tournaments with short stacks, players often narrow their range and shove all-in more frequently.

• In cash games, deeper stacks can lead to wider calling and raising ranges.

Conclusion

The concept of ranges is one of the most important fundamentals in poker. When you stop thinking only about your exact hand and start thinking about what hands your opponent could have, and also how your own range looks to them, the real depth of poker’s mind games becomes much more interesting.