Poker Hand Ranges Explained: Balanced GTO Ranges

Poker Hand Ranges Explained: Balanced GTO Ranges

In poker, the cards you hold are not the most crucial factor. Much more important is how you actually play those cards. Both beginners and experienced players make mistakes in certain aspects when playing poker. Many think like this: “I have ace-king — I raise,” “I have a pair of tens — I call.” But with this approach to the game, you won’t be able to win consistently. It’s essential to learn to think in terms of poker hand ranges as a whole, rather than focusing on each card in your hand. Only this approach guarantees long-term success.

Remember that properly balanced ranges are the foundation of GTO poker strategy. When you play within a range, your actions become predictable and controllable. At the same time, your opponents will find it difficult to anticipate your moves. This reduces the chances of being exploited by experienced players. Today, we’re discussing hand ranks, balance, and other key elements of basic strategy. From this article, you’ll learn:

• What a range is and why balance is necessary to win over the long run;
• How to build preflop ranges for each position;
• How to correctly use postflop ranges;
• How to check strategies using solvers;
• How to train with Optimus Poker and improve your game.

What Is a Range and Why Is Balance Needed

Let’s start with the basic concepts you need to know if you’ve decided to play by ranges. GTO poker ranges are a list of all the hands you could play most profitably from a given position. For example, if you’re on the BTN, your range might include: pairs, Ax combinations, suited connectors, and broadways. Here are a few reasons and advantages of playing by ranges:

• You can make more rational decisions;
• Your play becomes unpredictable for opponents. Exploitation is almost impossible;
• Reduces mistakes and EV loss.

Why is balance important? If you always bluff with sure hands and only bet for value with others, an experienced opponent will quickly and easily figure out your strategy. With balanced poker ranges, your actions simply become unpredictable. You can’t be read. Solvers like Optimus Poker help check your ranges and identify areas of weakness.

Poker Hand Ranges Explained

There can be several positions at the poker table. It’s essential to understand how to act from each spot. Let’s start with preflop. There are a few key principles are at play here. Raise First In (RFI)  this is when you open the betting first. Basic ranges for a 100bb stack:

Next, consider adjusting your ranges. Base these adjustments on the following key nuances and situational factors:

• Less than 100bb: shrink speculative hands (low suited connectors, small pairs);
• Ante or tournament: open wider to steal bigger pots;
• Against experienced players: add a 3-bet range;
• Against weak players: you can bet more for value and bluff less, but don’t forget balance.

Balanced Poker Hand Ranges — Postflop Strategy & Board Coverage

After the flop, hands are immediately divided into three groups. Here are a few key points to keep in mind:

• Value — strong hands. You can confidently bet and raise with them;
• Semi-bluff — draws and strong overcards;
• Bluff — weak hands. It’s best to use them specifically for balance.

Example: flop K♦7♣2♠ (dry). Your c-bet can be around 60–70% of your range. Bet top pairs (value), overcards (semi-bluff), and a few pure bluffs to keep your range balanced. Opponents won’t be able to read your strategy because your actions are as unpredictable as possible.

Another important concept for players is Board Coverage. It refers to the variety of hands you are showing. Stick to postflop poker strategy  don’t make all your bluffs with the same hands. For example, on a wet board Q♠J♠9♣, add bluffs with flush draws, straight draws, and overcards.

Bluffing Frequency Math

The next important point is to follow the mathematics of bluffing during betting rounds. Knowing this helps you understand how often you need to bluff at the table to maintain a balanced range. The standard formula is:

MDF (Minimum Defense Frequency) = P / (P + b), where:

P — pot size;

b — bet size.

To make it more straightforward, here’s a small visual example. Bet 50% of the pot → MDF ≈ 33% → the opponent must call one-third of their range to make your bluff break-even. Bluff-to-value ratio:

• Half-pot → ~25% bluffs;
• Pot → ~33% bluffs;
• Large bets → 40–50%.

Solver Workflow

Both beginners and experienced players should use the Solver Workflow. A poker solver helps check whether your ranges are balanced. Here’s a small step-by-step guide that ensures you don’t miss anything:

• Build the betting tree.
• Set preflop ranges for all possible positions at the poker table.
• Select boards for analysis (dry or wet).
• Run the solve → get frequencies for c-bet, check-raise, fold, and EV.
• Check where your actions differ from the poker solver strategy → fix leaks.

A small example for more clarity and understanding: Flop J♠9♣2♦, c-bet should be around 65%, with 40% value and 25% bluffs.

Worked Examples

Now let’s talk about real hands at the tables. Let’s look at a few of the most common situations. Example A: BTN Open vs BB Defend, 100bb. In this case, the actions are as follows:

• Preflop: BTN opens 30%, BB defends 40%;
• Flop A♠7♦2♣: c-bet ~70%, of which 33% are bluffs.

Example B: 3-Bet Pot BTN vs SB, 100bb, Flop K♣Q♣3♠. There are also a few possible developments:

• Wet board → more semi-bluffs (straight and flush draws);
• Value hands: top pairs, two pairs;
• Solver shows: 50% c-bet, 30% check-back, 20% check-raise.

Common Leaks & Fixes

• Overfolding. You fold too often. There is only one solution here  you should expand your calling range;
• Overbluffing. You bluff too frequently. Bluffs shouldn’t be random or too frequent. Always check your MDF/bluff-to-value ratio for greater effectiveness;
• Incomplete coverage. Different boards are not covered. Always add variety to your play. This makes it harder for opponents to read you and predict your next moves;
• Ignoring stack size. Stacks are too long or too short. Stack sizes should be adaptive depending on the current situation at the table.

Conclusion

Playing by ranges is key to a successful poker strategy. Balanced poker hand ranges reduce exploitability, and understanding bluffing frequency and board coverage increases your EV. Practice with Optimus Poker to train your behavior to the point of automation and use game theory optimal poker more effectively:

• Load RFI charts;
• Practice drill spots;
• Track EV.

Start with 2–3 typical spots and internalize your decisions. Balanced ranges are also the foundation of success in high-level events like the World Series of Poker, where players constantly adjust to opponents’ strategies.