Half-table starting hands
Full-table hold'em starting hands
Hand ranges
Full-table, by position
Distribution of starting hands
Aggregate profitable short-handed starting hands
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Hold'em starting hand ranges
Explanation: to figure out how to respond to opponents, it's useful to put them on a "range" of hands. There are 1,326 two-card combinations. A solid under-the-gun raiser in a short-handed game plays a narrow range of around 15% of possible hands, while the big blind might be 95% against a SB opener. Popup version for while you play. |
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% of
hands |
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Thumbnail description |
2% |
QQ |
AKs
AKo
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AK and queens. |
6% |
TT |
AJs
AJo |
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15% |
55 |
ATs
ATo |
A7s
A9o |
T9s
QJo |
QTs
KJo |
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55, A7s, T9s. (UG openers.) |
26% |
33 |
ATs
ATo |
A4s
A7o |
98s
JTo |
J9s
QTo |
K7s |
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33, all broadway, A4s, 98s, K7s. |
37% |
22 |
ATs
ATo |
A2s
A4
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76s
T9o |
97s
J9o |
K4s
K8o |
Q5s |
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76s, K4s, Q5s, 22, all broadway. |
49% |
22 |
ATs
ATo |
A2s
A2o |
54s
98o |
86s
T8 |
K2s
K4o |
Q2s
Q7 |
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54s, 98o, Q2s, Q7o. |
59%
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22 |
ATs
ATo |
A2s
A2o |
43s
76o |
75s
97o |
K2s
K2o |
Q2s
Q5
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J5s |
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43s, 76o, Q5o, J5s. |
69%
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22 |
ATs
ATo |
A2s
A2o |
32s
65o |
53s
86o |
K2s
K2o |
Q2s
Q2o |
J2s |
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32s, 65o, J2s. |
81% |
22 |
ATs
ATo |
A2s
A2o |
32s
54o |
42s
75 |
K2s
K2o |
Q2s
Q2o |
J2s
J5o |
T2s |
72s |
All suited, 54o, J5o. |
95% |
22 |
ATs
ATo |
A2s
A2o |
32s
32o |
42s
42o |
K2s
K2o |
Q2s
Q2o |
J2s
J2o |
T2s
T2o |
72s |
Ten+, all connectors and suited. |
% of
hands |
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Notes
• Hands in the chart are the minimums, so 77 indicates all pairs seven and up.
• The suffix "s" means the cards are of the same suit, "o" means offsuit.
• Connectors are adjacent cards that can help make a straight, like JT. Gappers are separated connectors, such has J7, which is a three-gap connector.
• If a suited hand like A4s is playable, then the offsuit minimum will be two or three up, i.e. A7o.
• If a connector like 98 is playable, then the minimum acceptable gapper will include the higher card, i.e. J9.
• Low connecting aces (A2-A5) are included in the ace-rag sections.
• Range of about 30% includes all pairs.
• Source: these ranges were inspired by Grudzien and Herzog's Winning in Tough Hold'em Games, but with considerable simplification. The groups contain the hands that players may be using at a given percentage. These are of course estimates; somone who loves flushes will not play the same 26% as a straight man. The classifications were made with limit hold'em in mind.
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