In contemporary poker discussions, 'ranges' come up frequently. But what do we mean when we refer to them?
Understanding ranges and poker combos Understanding ranges is a crucial aspect of improving your poker skills. It's vital knowledge for anyone aspiring to be a successful player.
Greetings, I'm Ian Simpson, and in the following video, I'll provide five helpful tips for mastering poker ranges.
Tip 1: Ranges vs Specific Hands
These days, players often prefer discussing ranges rather than focusing on specific hands. poker hands .
Let’s explore what this concept entails in greater detail.
When a player raises from the button position, pinpointing their exact hand is challenging. Instead, we need to assess the overall set of hands they might play in that situation.
Players might say something like, 'I suspected you had a pair,' just before making a questionable call or deciding to fold to protect their tournament standing.
Without a strong read on our opponent's behavior, we can't be that precise.
While our opponent may indeed have pairs when they go all-in before the flop, there’s also a variety of other possible hands in their arsenal!
Tip 2: The Hand Matrix
This diagram (we use the poker term Using a hand matrix, we can visualize all potential starting hands in Texas Hold'em.
At first glance, it might seem complicated, but over time and with practice, it will become familiar and intuitive.
This visual aid shows all suited hands, off-suit hands, and pairs displayed along the diagonal.
Tip 3: A Basic Range From The Matrix
For instance, after a player raises from the button, we can estimate their range. They are likely to open all pairs and any off-suit Ace hands.
They might also raise with K6o or better, meaning any King with a lower card that isn't suited beginning from K6. Additionally, hands like Q8o, J8o, T8o, 98o, and 87o are likely to be included.
They will also include various suited hand combinations in their opening range.
Tip 4: Split Ranges
In this scenario, we decide to call from the big blind and check when the flop presents 9s7s2h. Again, identifying a single specific hand from our opponent is difficult.
From our earlier analysis, we have a general idea of the hands they could have raised with initially.
We can utilize that initial chart to narrow down which select hands they may bet with.
- For instance, it’s quite reasonable to think they’d always bet with AA in this situation, potentially marking it entirely in red.
- On the other hand, we could deduce that they would likely check with 8d7h, allowing us to color that hand entirely in green.
By categorizing all hands, we create a visual reference for what their potential range looks like. Some hands might show up in both colors.
If we estimate that they check with 99 a quarter of the time, we can assign two colors to indicate different strategic approaches with that pair.
- 25% of the 99 box will be green.
- 75% of the box will be coloured in red.
Tip 5: Narrowing an Opponent’s Range
Every action a player takes—whether it be checking, betting, or raising—provides insight into their range of possible hands.
As the game unfolds, the range we attribute to them tends to become more focused as we progress through the rounds.
If the big blind opts to call your pre-flop raise, we can start shaping their estimated range. This will get more refined with their response to your continuation bet on an A72 flop.
When they decide to call your turn bet on the Jc, we refine their range further. poker board By the time we reach the river and they check, we've significantly narrowed down their likely holding based on their earlier actions on the flop and turn.
Using a hand matrix for visualization aids in determining your course of action on the river.
Key Takeaways – Poker Ranges
The charts might initially appear somewhat perplexing, especially when dealing with various strategies for folding, calling, and raising with different bet sizes.
However, with regular practice using charts like those in the mentioned section, you’ll soon catch on to how to think in terms of opponents' ranges.
Ian Simpson, a professional poker player and ambassador for 888poker, transitioned from teaching to competing professionally. As of July 2023, he has accumulated total live earnings of $1,132,070, consistently placing in the money since 2016, showcasing his determination and skill. 888poker magazine strategy Key Takeaways – Poker Ranges