In poker, a range is a collection of hands that a player may have at a given time. It is a way for players to categorize their opponent’s possible holdings and make informed decisions based on that information. Understanding and utilizing ranges is an important aspect of the game, as it allows players to make educated guesses about their opponent’s cards and make more profitable decisions.

It is useful to think of a range as a spectrum of hands that a player may hold, with some hands being more likely and others less so. For example, if a player raises preflop, their range could include strong hands like aces and kings, but also weaker hands like a suited connector or a medium pair. By considering the different possibilities within a player’s range, it is possible to make more informed decisions about how to play against them and increase your chances of success at the table.

Knowing how your opponent plays and categorizing their styles are very important for constructing their ranges. There are several types of ranges that players use to categorize their opponents’ possible holdings:

1. Tight Range: A tight range consists of stronger holdings, such as premium pairs and high-ranking broadway (A, K, Q, J, 10) cards.
2. Loose Range: A loose range is made up of a larger number of hands, including weaker hands, such as lower pairs, suited connectors, and sometimes even weaker, disconnected hands.
3. Aggressive Range: An aggressive range is made up of hands that are suitable for raising or betting, rather than just calling.
4. Passive Range: A passive range is made up of hands that are suitable for calling or checking, rather than betting or raising.
5. Bluffing Range: A bluffing range is made up of hands that are unlikely to be the best hand but can be used to make opponents fold their better hands.
6. Value Range: A value range is made up of hands that have a good chance of being the best hand and are used to extract maximum value from opponents.
7. Blocking Range: A blocking range is made up of hands that can block opponents from having strong hands, making it less likely for them to have the best hand.

Each player may have different ranges for different situations, and it is important to constantly adjust and refine these ranges based on the actions and tendencies of your opponents.

Ranges are represented by a matrix showing all possible hands in poker. The matrix is divided in three parts:

• the middle diagonal has all the pairs (AA-22);
• the top portion above the pairs, are all suited hands (hands of the same suit);
• the bottom portion contain all off-suited hands (hands of different suits).