Preflop Ranges: Complete Opening & 3-Bet Ranges for Every Position
Last updated: April 28, 2026
Your preflop decisions set the foundation for every hand. Open too wide and you bleed chips playing out of position with weak holdings. Open too tight and you surrender profitable steal opportunities. This guide covers opening ranges and 3-bet ranges for every table position in Texas Hold'em.
Definitions
How to Read a Range Chart
A standard range chart is a 13×13 hand matrix. Each cell represents a hand type: the diagonal (top-left to bottom-right) shows pocket pairs (AA to 22). The upper-left triangle shows suited hands (e.g., AKs), and the lower-right triangle shows offsuit hands (e.g., AKo).
Color coding in the matrix below: red = premium, blue = strong, yellow = playable, gray = marginal, dark = fold.
13×13 Hand Matrix
Opening Ranges by Position
Tightest range at the table — you act first postflop with no positional advantage.
Only premium pairs and top-tier broadway hands. No suited connectors, no speculative hands.
Slightly wider — add a few more suited broadways.
Begin adding strong suited aces and broadway hands.
Medium position — postflop reads improve as more players act.
Suited connectors JTs+ enter the range. Start opening KQo.
Two seats left of the button — reasonable steal opportunity.
One-gap suited connectors and more suited aces come in.
Second-best position — only the Button acts after you postflop.
Nearly all suited aces playable, more K-x suited, offsuit broadways widen.
Best position at the table — always last to act postflop.
Open almost half the deck. Any suited hand with coordination becomes profitable.
3-Bet Ranges
A balanced 3-bet range includes both value hands (AA, KK, QQ, AKs) and bluff hands — typically suited blockers like A5s, A4s, or KQs that benefit from the blocking effect while having playability if called. Sizing: use 3× the open in position, 4× out of position.
| Situation | Value 3-Bets | Bluff 3-Bets |
|---|---|---|
| vs UTG open | AA, KK, QQ | JJ (sometimes), AKs |
| vs CO open | AA–JJ, AKs, AQs | A5s, A4s, KQs |
| vs BTN open | AA–TT, AKs–AJs | A5s–A3s, KQs, suited connectors |
Common Preflop Mistakes
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of hands should I play preflop?
It depends heavily on your position. From UTG (under the gun), a solid opening range is around 13–15% of hands. From the Button, you can profitably open 40–45% of hands. Playing too many hands from early position is one of the most common leaks at low stakes.
Should I always raise preflop — never limp?
Generally yes, especially in unopened pots. Raising builds the pot when you have an advantage, isolates weak players, and gives you the initiative on later streets. Open-limping from any position except the small blind is almost always suboptimal in modern poker.
How do I know if my preflop range is correct?
Compare your opening frequencies to solver outputs and equity calculators. A good starting check: are you opening too wide from early position (leading to difficult postflop spots OOP) or too tight from the button (missing profitable steal opportunities)? Use equity tools to verify that your marginal opens have positive expected value.
Know Your Range — Know Your Equity
Once you're in a hand, use RiverOdds to calculate your exact win probability against any opponent range in real time.
Open the Free Odds Calculator