What is a range in poker?
The range is one of the most important concepts in modern poker. Mastering your ranges is the difference between a loose, approximate game and a solid one that's hard to exploit. Here's everything you need to know.
Simple definition: what is a range?
A range (or "hand range") is the set of all the hands a player can hold in a given situation. Rather than playing hand by hand in isolation, a solid player thinks in terms of ranges: "In this situation, I play 35% of hands — which ones?"
Concrete example: on the Button (BTN) in 6-max Cash Game, a GTO player will open about 45% of hands. Their opening range includes all pairs (22+), the broadway aces (AJ+), the suited connectors (87s, 98s, T9s...), etc.
Remember: In poker, you don't play against one hand. You play against a range. Thinking in ranges is the foundation of GTO play (Game Theory Optimal).
The 13×13 grid: how to read a poker range
Ranges are shown on a 13×13 grid that lists every two-card combination possible in Texas Hold'em. The 13 ranks (Ace, King, Queen... 2) form the rows and columns.
- Diagonal: the pairs (AA, KK, QQ, JJ, TT...)
- Above the diagonal: the suited hands (AKs, AQs, KQs...)
- Below the diagonal: the offsuit hands (AKo, AQo, KQo...)
The colored cells show the hands played. Green often means "raise", blue "call", red "fold". GTO ranges can also contain mixed frequencies: playing a hand 60% raise and 40% call.
Ranges by position: why position changes everything
Your position at the table determines your range. The later your position (BTN, CO), the wider you can play. The earlier your position (UTG), the tighter you have to be.
GTO range vs exploitative range
There are two main approaches to ranges:
The GTO range (Game Theory Optimal)
The GTO range is mathematically balanced. It makes you unexploitable: no matter what your opponent does, they can't take advantage of your ranges. It's the foundation every serious player must master, especially in Spin & Go, MTT and 6-max Cash Game.
The exploitative range
The exploitative range adapts to your opponents' mistakes. If a player folds too often to 3-bets, you widen your 3-bet range. It's a higher layer that requires knowing GTO well first.
How to learn and memorize your ranges?
Knowing your ranges in theory isn't enough. Under the pressure of a table, with the timer running in Spin & Go, your decisions must be automatic. That's where active memorization comes in.
The most effective method is the interactive quiz on the 13×13 grid, combined with spaced repetition (SRS). You rebuild your range from memory, the app identifies your mistakes cell by cell, and schedules your reviews at the optimal moment.