Poker range charts: starting hands in 6-max MTT and Spin

Preflop range charts (starting hands) are an essential resource for any poker player. They help determine what to do with the two cards dealt at the beginning of the game, before the flop. What should you do? Fold? Bet? Raise?

If your goal is to learn more about these preflop ranges, this article is a great starting point.

Understanding the basics of ranges

Range? Starting hands? Range chart?

Let’s start by clearly defining the terms.

A range in poker is simply a selection of hands.

Starting hands, therefore, refer to the range (the selection of hands) that a player chooses to play rather than fold preflop. For example, in a given situation, a player might decide to play preflop with all hands stronger than A9 and fold all others.

Good poker players know, depending on the situation, which hands they will choose to enter the pot with preflop and which hands they will fold. This information can be summarized in range charts, which help visualize and memorize these decisions more easily.

For instance, here is the open range chart (“open” means to enter the pot, not to fold) for the Button in an MTT with 100 Big Blinds:

How to read a range chart?

Below is an example of a preflop range chart that shows you how to play when you are in the Big Blind facing the Small Blind with a 14BB stack:

1. ‍Understanding the grid: A range chart is almost always presented in the form of a grid that represents all possible hands in poker. Each cell of the grid corresponds to a specific hand, with pairs on the diagonal, suited hands above the diagonal (with the annotation 's' meaning 'suited'), and offsuit hands below (with the annotation 'o' for 'offsuit').
2. ‍Identifying the colors: The charts use colors to indicate the strength or category of the hand. For example, in the chart above, the darker the color, the more aggressive the action (dark red for open shove, red for raise, green for call, and blue for fold). There is always a legend associated with the chart.
3. ‍Contextual use: The recommendations of a range chart are not set in stone. They can vary depending on the context of the game, such as your position at the table, your opponents’ playing styles, and the blind structure. It is important to adapt the chart’s information to the specific situation you are in unless the chart addresses the exact situation you are facing.

The types of ranges in poker

In poker terminology, you will often hear about different 'types' of ranges. Here’s a general overview of the main ones:

• Push or fold range: A range of hands for short stacks, where your only options are usually to go all-in or fold.
• Merged range: A range that includes both strong hands and moderately strong hands.
• Polarized range: A range that includes the best hands as well as some of the weakest hands.
• Capped range: A range that does not include the strongest hands.
• Mixed range: A range that uses a varied strategy to remain unpredictable.

Game Strategies: How are preflop ranges constructed?

In formats such as MTT or Spin, poker is not 'static.' Depending on the evolution of the blinds, stack sizes, and your position, the range of hands you can play profitably will change. Here’s a more detailed look at how these three factors influence the construction of preflop ranges:

Stack size

To begin with, your stack size and the stack sizes of your opponents are some of the most influential factors on the hands you decide to play. The key thing to remember is that, generally, the larger the effective stack (the effective stack being the size of the smallest stack), the more you can play weaker hands. Conversely, the smaller the effective stack, the tighter your range should be, focusing more on strong hands.

Position

The second factor is your position at the table. In most cases, you should have a tighter range (composed of stronger hands) in early position, and a looser range in later position, especially if the opponents before you have not shown aggression.

For more information on the influence of position in poker, you can check out this article.‍

Opponent Type

Understanding the type of opponent you’re facing can greatly influence the construction of your range. If you identify an opponent as tight, you might decide to widen your preflop range (play more hands) to steal the blinds and antes more frequently. Conversely, against an aggressive opponent, tightening your range to engage with stronger hands is often a better strategy.

This topic is too complex to cover exhaustively in this single article, but the key takeaway is that adjusting your preflop ranges based on your opponents is a strategy that, when applied correctly, can significantly increase your winnings.

Preflop Range Charts for 6-max MTT and Spin

At this point, now that you understand how these range charts are constructed, you’re probably wondering how to get them. The good news is that we offer free access to range charts on the Poker Sciences website (you just need to create an account).

For 6-max MTT players

Range charts for 6-max MTTs (Coming soon).

For Expresso Spin & Go players

Range charts for Spin & Go -> click here

Preflop range charts are essential for getting started in any poker format. By having a clear understanding of which hands to play, you greatly simplify your preflop game and can focus your time and energy on other strategic decisions, such as reading your opponents or improving your postflop play.

How to learn range charts?

As you can see, mastering preflop range charts is essential for any serious poker player, but the learning process can seem daunting at first. Fortunately, with the right methods and resources, you’ll overcome it. Here are some practical tips for learning and effectively applying preflop ranges in poker:

1. Grasp the general idea behind using ranges rather than getting lost in the exceptions. 'A simple strategy well-executed is better than a complex strategy executed poorly. This is by far the best advice you’ll read in poker, and it applies not only to preflop ranges but to all your learning. That’s why the range charts we provide come with explanations, so you can understand the overall reasoning behind the decisions.
2. Learning ranges starts with a theoretical understanding, but practice is what will solidify this knowledge. You will improve progressively as you play.

GTO Ranges (Game Theory Optimal)

To conclude, a few words about how the ranges we offer are constructed.

These range charts are inspired by GTO ranges. Calculated using specialized software, GTO enables players to produce a mathematically optimal game. GTO advises balancing your actions to make your strategies unpredictable and unexploitable. As a result, GTO ranges can be challenging for beginner and intermediate players due to their complexity.

Therefore, the range charts we offer are slightly simplified GTO ranges to make them accessible to a wider audience.