Poker ranges — building and using your preflop ranges
A range (or "hand range") is the set of hands you decide to play in a given situation. Instead of reasoning hand by hand — "do I play KJo here?" — good players reason in ranges. This approach makes your game consistent, balanced, and hard to exploit.
Why think in ranges rather than in single hands
Playing "on feel" on every hand makes your game inconsistent. Your regular opponents pick up on your patterns quickly. When you define in advance which hands you open, call, and 3-bet from each position, your game becomes balanced and your decisions faster.
Consistency and balance
With defined ranges, you're not inventing a new strategy on every hand. Your UTG opens are always the same. Your BTN 3-bets are always the same. Impossible to exploit over the long run.
Faster decisions
If you've already decided you open ATo from CO but not from UTG, the decision is made before you even sit down. Less time thinking = fewer mistakes, fewer behavioral tells.
Measurable improvement
When you adjust a range — for example moving your BTN open from 35% to 45% — the impact shows up in your stats. You can measure whether the change improves your BB/100.
The essential range types
Open-raise range
Which hands you open from each position (UTG, HJ, CO, BTN, SB). The later your position (BTN), the wider your range. UTG in 6-max: ~13%. BTN: ~40-45%.
BB defense range
Which hands you defend from the big blind against an open. BB defense is often too tight — you're folding hands that have enough equity to call. Optimal: defending ~40% against a BTN open.
3-bet range
Which hands you re-raise preflop. A balanced 3-bet range mixes value hands (AA, KK) with polarized bluffs (A5s, A2s with blockers). Too rare = predictable.
Push/fold range
In a tournament with short stacks (< 20BB), the game simplifies to push or fold. Pre-calculated push/fold ranges based on stack size and position optimize EV in these spots.
How to build your ranges in practice
Ranges aren't invented out of thin air. They're built from GTO (Game Theory Optimal) simulations adapted to your format and your opponents. For micro and low-stakes players, standard ranges inspired by GTO are a solid starting point — they're balanced and hard to exploit.
Start from a solid GTO base
Pure GTO ranges are calculated for perfect play against optimal opponents. At micro and low stakes, your opponents make plenty of mistakes — you can adapt your ranges to exploit them, but a GTO base remains the best starting point.
Use a Range Manager
A Range Manager is a tool that displays your ranges on a 13x13 grid representing every possible hand combination. You can see which hands are in your open, call, or 3-bet range. FlopIQ includes a Range Manager to build and save your ranges.
Test and adjust with your stats
After several sessions with a new range, the stats tell you whether it's working. If your BB/100 from UTG is negative, your open range might be too wide. The tracker confirms or invalidates the adjustment.
Build your ranges with FlopIQ
FlopIQ includes a visual Range Manager to create, save, and review your preflop ranges. And it checks whether your real ranges (calculated from your Winamax history) match what you're aiming for.
Access the Range Manager →Free · No credit card
FAQ
What's the difference between a range and a HUD?
A range is a set of hands you define in advance to guide your decisions. A HUD (Heads-Up Display) shows your opponents' stats in real time during play. The two are complementary but distinct. HUDs are banned on Winamax.
Do you need different ranges for cash game and tournaments?
Yes. In cash game (100BB), ranges are built around postflop play. In tournaments, stacks shrink and ranges evolve — under 30BB, push/fold largely replaces standard play. Tournament ranges are tighter in early stage and more aggressive in late stage.
Are GTO ranges suited to micro stakes?
Partially. GTO ranges are optimal against opponents who also play optimally. At micro stakes, opponents make mistakes — you can exploit that by playing more value-heavy ranges against fish. But a GTO base remains solid so you're not exploitable yourself.
How do you memorize your ranges?
You don't memorize entire ranges — you memorize simple rules. For example: from UTG, I play pairs > 77, broadways (AK, AQ, AJ, KQ), and a few suited connectors. With a Range Manager, you visualize them and internalize them gradually.
What FlopIQ does on this topic
The FlopIQ tools and analyses that directly address what you just read.
Range Manager
An editable 13×13 matrix, GTO-inspired standard ranges by position — and your actually-played ranges, extracted from your history and overlaid on the reference.
Open the Range Manager →Range
Thinking in a spread of hands rather than a single hand — the foundation for everything else.
Range glossary entry →3-Bet Trainer
18 preflop situations: fold, call, or 3-bet, with the correct play explained after every hand.
Train my 3-bet →