Thinking in Ranges Instead of Hands
Beginners ask "what does he have?" Winners ask "what could he have?" You will almost never know an opponent's exact two cards — but their actions narrow them to a range, and you can play well against the whole range.
From One Hand to a Range
A range is every hand a player could hold given how they have acted. Instead of guessing one holding, picture the whole set:
- A tight player who raised from early position: big pairs and big broadways (AA–TT, AK, AQ)
- A player who just called a raise: pairs and suited hands that flop well — rarely the very best hands, which would usually re-raise
You make your decision against the range, not a single hand.
Remember: You can't read souls — you can read actions. Actions define ranges.
Ranges Narrow Every Street
Each action shrinks the range:
- Position and preflop action set the starting range
- A flop bet-and-call removes the hands that would have folded
- A big turn or river bet keeps only the strong part of the range
By the river, a player who fired three big bets on a dry board has a narrow, strong range — believe it. A player who checked twice has "capped" their range at medium strength.
Remember: When the story only fits strong hands, fold your bluff-catchers. When it fits missed draws, look them up.
Count the Combos
Not every hand in a range is equally likely — count combinations:
- There are 6 ways to be dealt a specific pair (like AA)
- 16 ways for an unpaired hand (like AK) — but only 4 if it must be suited
- Cards you can see remove combos: if you hold an ace and one is on the board, only 1 combo of AA is left
Holding a card your opponent needs is a "blocker" — it makes their strong hands less likely, so you can call and bluff a little more.
Remember: Blockers tip close spots. Hold a card they need for the nuts, and there are simply fewer nutted hands they can have.