Poker is a game of skill and strategy. One of the most important aspects of playing poker is knowing your range.
A range is the group of hands that a player can have in a particular situation. In this article, we will discuss how to determine your poker range and why it is important to know.
Why Knowing Your Range Is Important
Knowing your range is crucial in poker because it allows you to make informed decisions at the table. If you don’t know what hands you can have in a certain situation, you won’t be able to make the best possible decision.
For example, let’s say you are playing Texas Hold’em and are dealt Ace-King offsuit (AKo) on the button. If you don’t know your range, you might be inclined to raise every time you have AKo. However, if you know your range, you might only raise with AKo when there are certain conditions met such as the position of other players or their playing style.
How To Determine Your Range
There are several factors that can help determine your poker range:
1. Position – Your position at the table plays a significant role in determining what hands you can play. The later your position, the wider your range can be.
2. Stack Size – The size of your stack determines how aggressive or passive you should play certain hands.
3. Opponent’s Playing Style – Observing how your opponents play can help determine what hands they are likely to have and therefore what hands you should play against them.
4. Game Type – Different game types require different ranges depending on factors such as number of players and blind levels.
Once these factors have been considered, it is important to create a chart or list that outlines what hands should be played from each position based on these factors.
Example Range Chart
Here is an example chart for Texas Hold’em:
Early Position (EP) – AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AKs
Middle Position (MP) – AA-88, AKs-AJ, KQs
Late Position (LP) – AA-22, AKs-A2s, KQ-KT, QJ-QT, JT-J9
As you can see from the chart above, the range widens as the position gets later. This is because there are fewer players left to act and therefore less chance of a strong hand being held by one of them.
Conclusion
In conclusion, knowing your range is crucial in poker. It allows you to make informed decisions at the table and ultimately improve your game. By considering factors such as position and opponent’s playing style and creating a chart or list that outlines what hands should be played from each position based on these factors you can improve your poker game significantly.
