Preflop Ranges Basics — how to think in ranges

Ranges are the core of modern poker. You almost never know Villain’s exact hand, so you play against a range: a set of hands they can realistically have.

Instead of asking “what do they have?”, you ask:

“What hands can they have, and how likely is each one?”

What is a range?

A range is a list of starting hands a player might play in a spot.

• A tight player might open UTG with a narrow range.
• A loose player might open the Button with a wide range.
• Ranges change based on position, stack depth, and action.

Why ranges matter

• You make better decisions without guessing one exact hand.
• You avoid “results-based thinking” and play the math.
• You can plan future streets (who has strong hands, who has draws, who has air).
• You can build consistent strategies (open, 3-bet, call, fold).

How to build a range (simple approach)

Start with position. Early position plays tighter, late position plays wider.

1. Pick a position (UTG, HJ, CO, BTN, SB, BB).
2. Pick a style (tight, standard, loose).
3. Choose hands that play well postflop (suited, connected, high cards).
4. Remove dominated trash (weak offsuit aces, weak offsuit kings).

Think in categories, not 169 boxes

Beginners get stuck trying to memorize every hand. Don’t. Use categories:

• Premiums: AA–QQ, AK
• Strong: JJ–99, AQ, AJ, KQ
• Playable suited: suited aces, suited broadways, suited connectors
• Speculative: small pairs, suited connectors and one-gappers
• Trash: weak offsuit hands that rarely make strong hands

Ranges depend on the action

A range is not static. The same player has different ranges depending on what happened before them.

• Open range: hands you raise first in.
• Calling range: hands you call a raise with.
• 3-bet range: hands you re-raise with.
• Facing a 3-bet: usually tighter and more value-heavy.

Simple preflop templates (starter packs)

These are not “perfect GTO ranges.” They are clean beginner templates you can actually use.

Template A: Tight (easy mode)

Play this when the table is tough or you want fewer hard spots.

• Early: 77+, AQ+, AJs+, KQs
• Middle: 66+, AJ+, ATs+, KQs, KJs, QJs, JTs
• Late: 44+, A9s+, ATo+, KTs+, QTs+, JTs, T9s, 98s

Template B: Standard (default)

Good baseline if you’re not sure.

• Early: 66+, AQ+, AJs+, KQs
• Middle: 55+, AJ+, ATs+, KQo, KJs+, QJs, JTs, T9s
• Late: 22+, A2s+, A9o+, K9s+, KTo+, Q9s+, QTo+, J9s+, T9s, 98s, 87s

Template C: Loose (more steals, more skill needed)

Use this only if you feel comfortable postflop and opponents fold too much.

• Early: 55+, AJ+, ATs+, KQs, KJs, QJs
• Middle: 44+, AT+, A8s+, KTs+, QTs+, JTs, T9s, 98s, 87s
• Late: 22+, most suited aces, many suited kings/queens, suited connectors down to 65s

How to think about Villain’s range (fast)

Start broad, then narrow it:

1. Position: early = tight, late = wide.
2. Action: open, call, 3-bet changes what hands make sense.
3. Player type: tight, loose, passive, aggressive.
4. Size: big opens and big 3-bets usually mean stronger ranges (not always, but often).

Common mistakes

• Putting Villain on one hand. Use a range.
• Ranges that are too wide in early position. You bleed money OOP.
• Too many dominated hands. Weak offsuit aces and kings lose quietly.
• No plan vs 3-bets. Always know what you continue with.

Mini drill (5 minutes)

1. Pick a seat (UTG, HJ, CO, BTN).
2. Write a tight and a standard open range from that seat.
3. Now imagine facing a 3-bet. Remove the weakest hands.
4. Ask: which hands are value, which are bluffs, which are calls?

Next step: Range Builder

Try the Range Builder to create your own ranges by position and practice them until they feel automatic.