Poker Cash Game Hand Chart
A poker cash game hand chart: which hands to open by position at 100bb, plus 3-bet and calling ranges you can memorize and adjust at the table.
On this page · 5 sections
A cash game hand chart tells you which hands to play from each seat at a standard 100 big blinds deep. The one rule underneath every chart: open tight in early position and widen every seat closer to the button, because fewer players are left to wake up with a strong hand and you’re more likely to act last after the flop. Memorize the baseline ranges below, then adjust them for how loose or tough your table is — the chart is a starting point, not a script.
Opening ranges by position (6-max, 100bb)
These are the hands you can profitably open-raise first-in from each seat in a typical 6-handed cash game. Percentages are the share of all 169 starting hands.
| Position | Open % | Sample hands to open |
|---|---|---|
| Under the gun | ~18% | 77+, AJs+, KQs, AQo+, KJs, QJs, JTs |
| Hijack | ~22% | Add 55+, ATs+, KTs+, QTs, T9s, AJo, KQo |
| Cutoff | ~28% | Add A2s+, K9s+, QJs, J9s, T8s, 98s, ATo, KJo |
| Button | ~45–50% | Add small pairs, most suited aces, suited connectors down to 54s, many suited kings, and broad offsuit hands |
| Small blind | ~35% (raise-first) | Open-raise a strong, mostly value-heavy range; avoid limping |
Notice the pattern: each seat adds hands to the one before it. You never remove hands as you move later — you only widen. The reason is pure math: from under the gun there are still four or five players yet to act who could be dealt a premium, so you need a hand that fares well against continued strength. On the button only the two blinds remain, and you’ll have position on both for the rest of the hand, so far weaker holdings become profitable opens.
Two practical notes on reading the chart. First, “suited” hands (marked s) are always stronger than their offsuit versions because of the extra flush equity — KJs makes the cut in several seats where KJo does not. Second, small pairs and suited connectors are positional hands: they’re marginal from early seats but excellent late, where you can set-mine and flop disguised straights and flushes in position.
Facing a raise: 3-bet or call
When someone opens before you, your default is to either 3-bet or fold, and to flat-call only with hands that play well postflop in position. Build your 3-betting range as a polarized mix — strong value plus some bluffs — rather than a flat band of medium hands:
| Action | Hands (vs. a typical open) |
|---|---|
| 3-bet for value | QQ+, AK — always; JJ, AQs vs. later positions |
| 3-bet as a bluff | A5s–A2s, KJs/KTs, some suited connectors |
| Flat-call in position | TT–77, AQ, AJs, KQs, suited broadways |
| Fold | Everything weaker, especially out of position |
The reason to bluff-3-bet with hands like A5s is that they block the strong aces your opponent needs to continue, and they still flop nut-flush and wheel-draw equity when called. The full logic behind these decisions is in our cash game preflop strategy guide.
Adjusting the chart to your table
The chart is a baseline; the money is in the adjustments:
- Tough, aggressive table: tighten your opens, especially early, and lean on your positional advantage rather than volume.
- Loose-passive live game: you can still open a solid range but should value-bet more and bluff less — these games pay off value, not fancy plays.
- A strong, aggressive player on your left: tighten, because they’ll 3-bet and make your wide opens hard to realize.
- Weak players to your right: widen and isolate them whenever you can act after them.
Full-ring (9-handed) games play tighter than the 6-max chart above — with more players still to act, shave your early-position range further, as our full ring cash game strategy explains.
From chart to real strategy
A chart builds correct habits, but it isn’t the whole game. These ranges are practical, near-optimal starting points — not exact solver output, which shifts with bet sizing, rake, and opponents. Once your position-based habits are automatic, deepen them with formal solver ranges in the preflop GTO hub, and study why acting last is so valuable in the positions hub.
Put it together
The whole chart reduces to one idea: tight early, wide late, and let position decide. Open the ranges above by seat, 3-bet a polarized mix, avoid out-of-position flat-calls, and adjust for your table. Turn these preflop habits into postflop profit with the core how to win at cash games guide and the full cash game strategy hub.
Frequently asked
What hands should you play in a cash game?
Open tight from early position — big pairs, strong aces, and a few premium broadways — then widen as you move toward the button, adding suited connectors, more suited aces, and smaller pairs. On the button you can open close to half your hands. In the blinds you defend a wide range but rarely open by choice.
What is a good preflop hand chart for 6-max cash?
Roughly: open about 18% under the gun, 22% from the hijack, 28% from the cutoff, and 45–50% on the button. Those percentages translate to progressively wider lists of pairs, suited aces, broadways, and connectors. Treat the chart as a baseline and adjust for your opponents.
Should you use the same hand chart online and live?
The core ranges are the same, but live games are often looser and more passive, so you can profitably tighten your opens and value-bet more, while relying less on thin bluffs. Online pools are tougher and faster, making disciplined, position-based ranges even more important.
Are these charts GTO?
They're practical, near-optimal starting ranges, not exact solver output. True GTO ranges shift with sizing, rake, and opponent tendencies. Use a chart to build correct habits, then study solver-based ranges once your fundamentals are solid.