Range
A range is the full set of hands a player could hold in a given spot. Thinking in ranges instead of single hands is the core of modern poker strategy.
In poker, a range is the complete set of hands a player could realistically hold at a given moment, based on their position, their actions so far and what you know about their style. Instead of trying to guess one exact hand, you think about every hand that would play the same way and how the board affects all of them.
Why players think in ranges
You almost never know your opponent's exact hole cards. If you put someone on "exactly ace-king", you will be wrong most of the time and make poor decisions when you are. Range thinking accepts uncertainty: an opponent who raises from early position has strong hands, some medium hands and very few weak ones. Every action they take after that narrows the list further.
Ranges also apply to you. Good players ask, "What does my opponent think I have?" If your betting only ever represents strong hands, observant opponents will fold to you when you are strong and call when you are weak.
How ranges are written
- 77+ means every pocket pair from sevens up to aces.
- AJs+ means ace-jack suited and better: AJs, AQs, AKs.
- AQo+ means ace-queen and ace-king offsuit.
Each written hand stands for several card combos: a pocket pair has 6 combinations, a suited hand 4 and an offsuit hand 12.
Example: narrowing a range on the flop
Suppose a careful player raises from under the gun with a range of 77+, AJs+, KQs and AQo+. That is 8 pocket pairs (48 combos), 4 suited hands (16 combos) and 2 offsuit hands (24 combos), for 88 combos in total.
The flop comes Q♦ 9♣ 4♠ and they bet. Now sort their range by strength:
- Sets: QQ and 99. With one queen and one nine on the board, each has only 3 combos left.
- Overpairs: KK and AA, 12 combos.
- Top pair: AQ and KQ, many combos.
- Weaker hands: 77, 88, TT, JJ and missed hands like AK and AJ.
If you hold J♥ J♣, you beat the underpairs and the missed ace-high hands but lose to everything with a queen or better. Seeing the whole picture tells you whether calling, raising or folding makes sense, rather than hoping they have one specific hand.
Common mistakes
- Ignoring position. A raise from the button represents a much wider range than a raise from early position.
- Forgetting card removal. Cards on the board and in your hand reduce how many combos your opponent can have.
- Never updating. Each bet, check and call on later streets should shrink or reshape the range you assign.
- Assuming the worst every time. Strong hands are part of the range, but often only a small share of it.
Once you are comfortable with ranges, concepts like equity, bluffing frequencies and GTO strategy become much easier to understand, because they are all built on comparing one range against another.
Frequently asked questions
What does it mean to put someone on a range?
It means listing all the hands an opponent could have based on their position and actions, rather than guessing one exact hand. You then update that list as the hand goes on.
How many combos are in a poker hand?
A pocket pair has 6 combinations, a suited non-pair hand has 4 and an offsuit non-pair hand has 12. Cards visible on the board or in your hand reduce these numbers.
Is a range the same as a hand chart?
A preflop hand chart is one kind of range, showing which hands to play from each position. Ranges continue to apply on every later street as well.
Related poker terms
- Combos (Hand Combinations) — Combos are the specific card combinations that make up a starting hand. Pocket pairs have 6 combos, suited hands 4, and offsuit hands 12.
- Equity — Equity is your share of the pot based on how often your hand would win if all remaining cards were dealt, expressed as a percentage.
- Position — Position in poker is where you sit relative to the button, which decides when you act. Acting later gives you more information and more control.
- Hole Cards — Hole cards are the two private cards dealt face down to each player in Texas Hold'em. Only you see them, and you combine them with the five shared cards.
- GTO (Game Theory Optimal) — GTO (Game Theory Optimal) is a balanced poker strategy that cannot be exploited: no opponent can gain an edge against it by changing how they play.