The ability to assess and understand Poker Range is one of the most crucial skills that players need to develop.
Poker is a game where, typically, you’ll never know exactly what cards your opponents hold. However, by applying logical thinking and leveraging this reliable technique, you can build your opponents’ Poker Range and use that information to create more winning opportunities for yourself. Let’s explore this technique with JILICC!
What is the Poker Range?
A Poker Range refers to the set of all possible hands a player might choose to play at a given moment. This concept applies to both of the key stages in poker:
- Preflop (before any community cards are dealt)
- Postflop (after the community cards are revealed)
The concept of Poker Range can vary significantly from one player to another. For instance:
- Tight players tend to have a narrow range, meaning they only play a limited set of strong hands.
- Loose players have a broader range, including a wider variety of hands.
When you’re engaged in a poker game, a critical part of your strategy is determining your opponents’ Poker Range. This analysis often begins preflop before any cards are revealed. You’ll continuously adjust and refine this range based on how your opponents play and their actions throughout the game. This approach gives you a better idea of the hands they may hold and helps you make more informed decisions.
Types of Poker Range
There are two primary types of Poker Range charts that players use interchangeably. The goal is to synthesize information from all these charts at once. If you examine only one range chart, you can estimate the total combinations of possible hands within it. When looking at the percentage chart, you can get an overall picture of the range.
=> Read more: Understanding Bottom Pair in Poker for Jilicc Players.
Matrix Form (Poker Hand Chart)
The matrix you often see is a 13×13 grid displaying all 169 possible starting hands in poker (13 x 13 = 169). This chart is an essential tool for players to visualize and understand potential starting hands. It’s one of the most commonly used charts in poker strategy.
- All pairs are arranged along the diagonal.
- Suited hands are typically on one side of the diagonal, while offsuit hands are on the other.
Percentage Form (%-Form)
The percentage form of a Poker Range shows the probability of selecting any starting hand. It’s a way to visualize the percentage distribution of possible starting hands. For example:
- If you decide not to play any hands, the range percentage would be 0%.
- If you opt to play every possible hand, it would be 100%.
When considering all possible combinations, the 169 starting hands expand into 1,326 unique combos. For instance, if you want to calculate the percentage for pocket Aces (AA), there are a total of 6 combinations:
When you adjust an opponent’s frequency of play to their actual Poker Range, the percentage chart becomes extremely useful. For example, if you know your opponent opens with a 15% range preflop, you can start by building their range using the top 15% of hands.
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Understanding Poker Range Terminology
When you see terms like “JJ+,” it refers to a range starting with pocket Jacks and including all pairs above it (i.e., JJ, QQ, KK, AA). The plus sign (+) indicates that you should include all stronger hands.
- For instance, “22+” means you should include all pairs starting from 22, 33, 44 up to QQ, KK, and AA.
- “98s+” refers to all suited connectors from 98s upwards, including 98s, T9s, etc.
- “AQ+” (without the “s” for suited or “o” for offsuit) indicates that you should include all variations of AQ and AK.
=> Read more: What patterns in Poker at Jilicc should you know?
Conclusion
Poker Range is a crucial concept that helps you understand the set of hands that can be played in different situations. By mastering the art of reading, constructing, and adjusting Poker Ranges, you can optimize your strategy and improve your chances of winning. This guide, compiled by JILICC, aims to help you better understand and apply these techniques effectively in your poker games.
Understanding Poker Range isn’t just about memorizing charts, it’s about applying these insights dynamically during gameplay.
By refining your range analysis, you’ll gain a significant edge over your opponents and boost your performance at the table.
Happy playing!
