How to recognize a capped range?

Fknife

Fknife

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I have a few questions about capped ranges. From what I understand, a capped range is a range of medium strength hands on a particular board.

So to give an example, an ultra nit open-raises from UTG, gets a call from SB. Flop comes 258r. His range is capped to one pair ([AA-TT...AJ+...KQs]) because with his UTG open-range its hard for him to have anything better.

1. Given that high pairs make up only about 30% of his UTG range, is this a good +EV spot for a c/r or donk-bet bluff?

2. Can a capped range on the flop, turn into an uncapped range on the turn (river)? Suppose a 9 comes on the turn and our nit-friend starts to go crazy. Is it possible he has like...67s for a straight? What about bluff-catching in this spot?

3. How to recognize that opponent has a capped range? A nit opening UTG, fish donking with TP, TAG 3betting only QQ+, passive player calling down on every street are all easy examples but what about more LAGish players?

4. How to prevent opponents from recognizing you'are capped? Balancing ranges?
 
Matt Vaughan

Matt Vaughan

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I'm guessing you've read Ed Miller's hand-reading book, since you specify 30% PP's etc.

To be honest I think you're trying to think too generally about something that's very situational. But you're also asking a question and then pretty much answering it yourself, so I'm not really sure what you want lol. But I guess I'll toss out some thoughts.

I'd say that one very common spot where someone's range is capped preflop is when they flat a 3bet. Say they open in MP and face a 3bet from the blinds. If they flat, most players won't have KK+ in their range. To try to answer your numbered questions though...


1. Against an "ultra-nit," this is probably a fine spot to do anything, but I'd prefer him also fold a fair amount of his overpairs to a x/r if that's the play I want to make.

2. Typically, you don't think about a capped range as being one that can improve its hand value very much. That's part of what makes it capped - draws aren't typically a part of a capped range. Capped usually just means "not that strong," and "not much potential to improve." Something like a PP-heavy range that consists of mostly 2nd pair hands is a very capped range.

3. You've pretty much identified a number of examples where opponents have capped ranges. And LAG's will by definition have wider ranges at every situation when betting. And usually this means they will be capped less often, since they will have more air, more semi-bluffs, and more disguised value hands. But in terms of identifying a capped range in general, you've already mentioned how - hand-read and notice that the range is semi-weak to semi-strong, and can't improve much.

4. Short answer to this is that you can't. If you are up against a solid hand-reader and your range is capped, he will likely know. A balanced range is inherently NOT capped, since a balanced range will always have some strong value hands, medium strength hands, and draws/air. But short of having a balanced range, you can't prevent someone from knowing you are capped if you are. Any strategy that prevents it would involve some type of balance, whether it's all the time or a long-term "changing gears" type strategy. But you can rest fairly easy, because you will find very few opponents who will be good at analyzing your range accurately, and even fewer who will analyze it AND exploit it.
 
Fknife

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Thanks for taking time to reply!

2. Typically, you don't think about a capped range as being one that can improve its hand value very much. That's part of what makes it capped - draws aren't typically a part of a capped range. Capped usually just means "not that strong," and "not much potential to improve." Something like a PP-heavy range that consists of mostly 2nd pair hands is a very capped range.

Alright so back to my example. 9 falls on the turn completing a straight draw, I bet, he raises. Since his capped range is static (assuming he was capped preflop), he is still capped to one pair (with A-high on the bottom) so with his raise, he's probably bluffing - why would he raise with a pair?. What is my next move? Rebluff the turn by reraising or call his raise with an intention to overbet-bluff the river?

Oh, and I love your blog. Keep posting there! :)
 
Matt Vaughan

Matt Vaughan

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I'd say that if he's a nit, it's more likely he spazzed out preflop and has a value hand postflop such as 2 pair, a straight, or a set. Always remember, that no matter who the player is, and how well we think we understand their range, there is always going to be some uncertainty.

So again, in that specific spot vs. a nit, I would normally just give them credit.

Thanks for the love for my blog! I've not been as diligent about posting there as of late, but I'm trying to change that.
 
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