What Is a Poker Range? Ranges Explained
A poker range is the full set of hands a player could have in a spot. Here's how to think in ranges, read a range chart, and why pros stop guessing single
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A poker range is the complete set of hands a player could be holding in a particular spot — not one specific hand. When a tight player raises under the gun, you can’t know they have A-A, but you can know they have one of maybe a dozen strong hands. Thinking in ranges instead of guessing single hands is the single biggest leap from beginner to serious player.
Why single-hand thinking fails
Trying to pin an opponent on one exact hand is a guessing game you’ll usually lose. Real players show up with many different holdings in the same situation. A continuation bet on the flop might be top pair, an overpair, a draw, or air — and you can’t tell which from one bet.
Ranges solve this. Instead of betting your tournament life on a read, you estimate the whole set of hands your opponent would play this way, then make the decision that’s most profitable against that set. You’ll be wrong about the specific hand constantly and still make money, because you’re right about the range.
The math behind ranges
Texas Hold’em has 1,326 possible two-card starting combinations. Those collapse into 169 distinct starting hands (13 pocket pairs, 78 suited combos, 78 offsuit combos). Ranges are usually described as a percentage of those:
| Range width | % of hands | Rough makeup |
|---|---|---|
| Ultra-tight | ~3% | Big pairs, A-K |
| Tight | ~10% | Pairs 9+, strong aces, A-K, A-Q |
| Medium | ~20% | Most pairs, suited broadways, strong aces |
| Loose | ~40% | Adds suited connectors, weak aces, many offsuit hands |
A player’s range narrows as the hand goes on. Every bet, call, and fold removes hands that wouldn’t take that action — by the river, a betting range might be just a handful of combos.
How to read a range chart
Ranges are displayed on a 13×13 grid of every starting hand. Once you know the layout it’s instant to read:
- The diagonal (top-left to bottom-right) is the pocket pairs: A-A, K-K, down to 2-2.
- Above the diagonal are the suited hands (A-K suited, A-Q suited…).
- Below the diagonal are the offsuit hands.
- Shaded cells are the hands included in that action’s range.
So a chart showing “raise” with the top-left corner filled in means raise your pairs and your strongest suited and offsuit hands — the premium block. The wider the shaded area spreads toward the bottom-right, the looser the range. The hands themselves are ranked by strength in our poker hand rankings guide.
A worked example: ranges in action
You hold A♣ Q♦ and a tight player raises from early position. Should you be thrilled?
- Single-hand thinking: “I have A-Q, that’s a great hand!” → you over-commit.
- Range thinking: their early-position raising range is roughly J-J+, A-K, A-Q. Against that whole range, A-Q is in rough shape — it’s behind every pair and A-K, and only tied or ahead of A-Q itself.
The range view tells you A-Q is good but not great here, so you call or fold rather than 4-bet into a range that crushes you. Same cards, very different decision once you account for what the raiser can have.
Range advantage
When your entire range is stronger than your opponent’s on a given board, you have range advantage — and you can bet more often and more aggressively. Example: if you raised preflop and the board comes A-K-5, your range hits that board far harder than a caller’s, so you can fire confidently. Recognizing who has range advantage on each flop is a postflop skill that starts with understanding preflop ranges.
Why ranges power everything else
Ranges aren’t just an analysis tool — they’re the language modern strategy is written in:
- GTO solutions are always expressed as ranges with frequencies, never single hands.
- Position changes how wide your range should be from each seat.
- Every chart you’ll ever study — opening, calling, 3-betting — is a range.
The bottom line
A poker range is every hand a player could hold in a spot, and thinking in ranges is what separates guessers from winners. Learn to read the 13×13 grid, estimate opponents’ ranges, and judge your hand against the whole set rather than one scary holding. Next, see how ranges shift seat by seat in poker ranges by position, or return to the preflop strategy hub to put it all together.
Frequently asked
What is a poker range in simple terms?
A poker range is every hand a player could be holding in a given spot, not one specific hand. Instead of guessing 'they have aces,' you think about the whole set of hands they'd play that way and how your hand does against all of them.
How many hands are in a poker range?
There are 1,326 possible two-card combinations in Hold'em, which group into 169 distinct starting hands. A 'tight' range might be 10% of those combos and a 'loose' range 40% or more, depending on position and situation.
How do I read a poker range chart?
A range chart is a 13×13 grid of all starting hands. Pairs run down the diagonal, suited hands sit above it, and offsuit hands below. Colored or shaded cells show which hands are in the range for that action.
What is range advantage?
Range advantage means one player's entire range is stronger than the other's on a given board. The player with range advantage can bet more often and more aggressively because their hands connect with the board more frequently.