How do you figure out someone's hand range?

magnumite

magnumite

Rising Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Jun 14, 2018
Total posts
20
Chips
0
People talk about this all the time and I don't really understand how one should figure out someone's hand range if you are in a cash game w/ them or a tournament or sit and go. You only see what hand they actually have a small percent of the because they reach showdown, so other than that how are you supposed to figure out what hands they play? I feel like that's not enough info to give someone a range. I am guessing that I'm missing something here, as I'm pretty new to poker.

Lemme know!
 
Whaevoz

Whaevoz

Legend
Platinum Level
Joined
May 17, 2015
Total posts
1,641
Awards
2
Chips
123
If you were to ask Phil Hellmuth, he would say, "White magic!" :D
 
This Fish Chums

This Fish Chums

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Jul 5, 2016
Total posts
822
Chips
0
Identifying someone's range

If you use a HUD this is a lot easier, but there is a way of identifying someone's range if you play with them long enough. First, think of your range of cards you play and how often you play a hand vs. raise a hand vs. fold a hand. You know how you play so that gives you a baseline to measure against. Then watch how often they perform those actions. If they play and raise more than you do then you know they play a wider range than you do. If the fold more often than you then you know they play tighter than you. This means you need to watch not only when you are in a hand against them, but also when they are in any hand with other players.

Then post flop use the same strategy to gauge how aggressive they are. If they raise more often than you than they are more aggressive than you. Less often and they are tighter or more passive than you.
Once you've identified how they play vs. how you play you have an idea of if they are TAG, LAG or whatever and can adjust your play accordingly.
 
MattRyder

MattRyder

🍏 Tech That Works!
Platinum Level
Joined
Sep 12, 2013
Total posts
8,309
Awards
15
Chips
0
I pretty much agree with Jon. I have most of my success at cash games, mostly of the 'Zoom' variety so I see a lot of hands. Although I have PT4 I don't usually use a HUD. I always take notes on what I see, whether against me or other players against each other. I use tags like 'Tight', 'Cautious', 'Laggy', 'Bluffy', 'Sticky', 'Crazy', 'Strong', 'Weak', and even 'Stupid', etc. I always note if a guy 3-bets or 4-bets and from what position they do it. A lot of people 3-bet in Zoom, especially from the SB, but not all. I also take note of guys who routinely throw out trial bets, or those who like to trap. It helps to know who has done these things in the past and who hasn't.

I pay attention to hands that I've been bet out of. If I see their cards I make a note of what they were when they played that way. That's something that a HUD won't do for you. The info is there of course, but it's not easy to access quickly on the fly. So when I'm thinking about getting into a hand with someone that I have notes on, I always read the notes first. That then gives me an idea of what kind of range they like to play. If I've seen his cards in the past, that info is like gold. A guy who has played aggressively in the past, but only with really strong hands that I've seen and made note of is completely different from a guy who plays aggressively with pretty much any two.

If I find that my notes are getting too long for a player I try to condense they down using tags so that they're easier to read when the clock is ticking.
 
Last edited:
PuMa8818

PuMa8818

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 19, 2018
Total posts
176
Awards
2
Chips
0
without programs is much more difficult, but if you sit at the same table for a long time and watch the game carefully, then there is much more chance to determine the range. Always make notes on the players: how often he does 3bet as often folds to the continuation bet and so on. And you will see how it becomes easier to define ranges
 
sryulaw

sryulaw

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
May 12, 2017
Total posts
920
Chips
0
Everything gets easier when we have information from the opponent What gets hard to know is getting clearer and more obvious when we put our opponent in a range and make decisions based on data and information, the idea of the range is to put our opponent in a range of hands, not an exact hand. The idea is simple: eliminate what he probably does not have and imagine what's left. If we fully understand the concept of range and analysis it is one of the most important tools to improve your game in poker.
 
cranberry

cranberry

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Nov 16, 2016
Total posts
1,588
Awards
4
Chips
0
The range of hands of your opponent can be determined based on his previous actions - this is the easiest and most convenient way. It is also convenient to use Holdem Manager 2 or Poker Tracker 4 programs that determine the range of the opponent's hands using the VPIP indicator.
 
iamtoldurghey

iamtoldurghey

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 19, 2015
Total posts
83
Chips
0
my ranting

Besides having hud stats up. I basically judge on how aggressive and comfortable they are with their gameplay if they limp call or just raise. when therer aggresive 3 betting.with little showdown to go off ,i lean towards calling them more often giving them a slightly looser range than i probly should but i try to level with more 4 betting esp heads up
.So i compare how they compare to optimal premium raising hand ranges from all positions and if theres not alot of showdowns to go off i tend to lean towards my spewier side of calling more often than i would with hud stats
 
GiGiCat

GiGiCat

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Jun 20, 2017
Total posts
191
Awards
1
Chips
4
One has to have a set of standard hand ranges that are a default for all unknown players. As we play against the individuals we can customize the range to that individual.

I set up a standard or default range, and then a loose and a tight range as well. If I see someone is loose at the table after a period of time I can assign them the loose range and further customize it to them. After a while ya won't need a cheat sheet to remember the ranges.

Also seeing and memorizing the range charts can help us with starting hands and improve play as we progress.

I am predominately a live player and HUD Glasses haven't been made yet for live play. If you play online poker, notes are very important.

Regards,
GiGiCat:)
 
PaxMundi

PaxMundi

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Jun 4, 2018
Total posts
2,194
Awards
4
Chips
0
GiGiCat

GiGiCat

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Jun 20, 2017
Total posts
191
Awards
1
Chips
4
People talk about this all the time and I don't really understand how one should figure out someone's hand range if you are in a cash game w/ them or a tournament or sit and go. You only see what hand they actually have a small percent of the because they reach showdown, so other than that how are you supposed to figure out what hands they play? I feel like that's not enough info to give someone a range. I am guessing that I'm missing something here, as I'm pretty new to poker.

Lemme know!


Hey s-up? I've looked at the first few and agree with them but want to give some info I have learned over the years of playing.

Start with a default range. For instance

Your Default UTG range is:

77+, A2s+, AKo and that's it that's your default range (This is not an actual default range and should not be used in your game!!!).

You find a person after playing with them for a couple hours that they are Loose so you can add to the above range:

22+, 32s+, 42s+, making a range for that person

on the other side of the coin, if another opponent is really tight and we can believe that he/she will never play:

A6s - A9s, 77 - 99, we can take that off the default range making it his/her range.

If you play online keep notes and color code the fish with green and the sharks with red.

Have fun, Best Regards,

GiGiCat:)
 
R

roman5551993

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 6, 2019
Total posts
78
Chips
0
You need to watch what hands to play opponents.
 
S

sibird

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Aug 17, 2018
Total posts
320
Chips
0
I don't use HUD or any other software though i know they can provide lot of information about your opponents if properly stored. But it is also true that things are changing everyday. Every player is trying to improve his game, trying to disguise his hands as far as possible. Today he is playing with one style, to-morrow he might be playing in other fashion. So the information you stored in your HUD may not work all the time accurately.


Then how do you figure out someone's hand range? The best answer i can think of is put your opponent in your shoes. For example, with AA pre-flop you might raise or re-raise up to an extent of all-in. So if your opponent raise up to all-in then you can assume that he is holding AA. But sometimes you also go all-in with AK, KK, or even with QQ. Same could be true with your opponent.

When someone raises (say, 100), i try to figure out with what cards (or range of cards) i would have raised to 100? That gives me a pretty good idea about the range of cards he is holding.
But that is not the end of everything. For example, if someone is bluffing then you can never determine his range of play.
 
MadDeVille

MadDeVille

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 2, 2018
Total posts
132
Awards
1
Chips
2
Excelent

People talk about this all the time and I don't really understand how one should figure out someone's hand range if you are in a cash game w/ them or a tournament or sit and go. You only see what hand they actually have a small percent of the because they reach showdown, so other than that how are you supposed to figure out what hands they play? I feel like that's not enough info to give someone a range. I am guessing that I'm missing something here, as I'm pretty new to poker.

Lemme know!
Some use softwares, some gues it. I tryed many times figure out oponent's range. Sometimes I gues it sometimes not .... It would be helpfull to fiugre out this thing.
 
SrWesleiNF

SrWesleiNF

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Oct 24, 2018
Total posts
139
Chips
0
In my case to determine the hand range of an adiversario I always try to observe enough before starting a game with the same, I can identify possible possums, possession, image of him on the table and strength of the bet. We always have more information after the flop the way each one behaves with cards and different follows a pattern is always possible to define a hand renge for the opponent and therefore this framework we have to follow to the end of the hand always looking for new information
 
Daniel VanRiper

Daniel VanRiper

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 28, 2019
Total posts
40
Chips
0
People talk about this all the time and I don't really understand how one should figure out someone's hand range if you are in a cash game w/ them or a tournament or sit and go. You only see what hand they actually have a small percent of the because they reach showdown, so other than that how are you supposed to figure out what hands they play? I feel like that's not enough info to give someone a range. I am guessing that I'm missing something here, as I'm pretty new to poker.

Lemme know!
Start to study poker and later it will come naturally. GOOD LUCK[emoji56]
 
Rosxana13

Rosxana13

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Aug 26, 2018
Total posts
346
Chips
0
People talk about this all the time and I don't really understand how one should figure out someone's hand range if you are in a cash game w/ them or a tournament or sit and go. You only see what hand they actually have a small percent of the because they reach showdown, so other than that how are you supposed to figure out what hands they play? I feel like that's not enough info to give someone a range. I am guessing that I'm missing something here, as I'm pretty new to poker.

Lemme know!

I think This is one of the thing that comes with experience but after the proper study ... cause to figure out a hand range on an opponent you have to think in lot of factors like
-Type of player (loose,tight, Aggressive or Passive?)
-Bet sizes
-Position
-Situation (more important on MTTs is the buble close to burst)

Of course any of this information will help you, in my experience you sometime will hit even with his exact hand sometimes I thinking and I say well the only logical hand that he could do this types of move is for example QQ and I have A7 on a Board AT259 and the villain pushes you really have to think to pay in that situation like I said sometime you'll guess others don't but experiece practicing will make you better on this subject...

Good Luck!
 
8bod8

8bod8

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Nov 3, 2017
Total posts
1,492
Chips
0
With a HUD, or paper and pencil, you can note how often a person plays (and from what position).
Free programs like equilab (from pokerstrategy.com) will show the cards people play with.
When playing freerolls, you can easily check a 'read'; just keep calling until showdown.
Beware:
- it doesn't work with idiots
- it doesn't work with pro's
- idiots and pro's are not the same!
example: Doyle Brunson winning wsop tourney with 10-2 off-suit.
 
tauri103

tauri103

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Aug 29, 2016
Total posts
2,144
Awards
1
Chips
24
You will rarely be able to accurately determine which two cards your opponent has. But what you should try to do is assign him a range.
Assigning a range of hands to your opponent is not so easy as it may suggest. At the beginning of the hand you have little information, and this range is also wide. As the hand unfolds, you gather more information; so you can define its range more precisely.

take note of the situation by factoring elements such as the position, the size of the carpets, the previous action, and the style of play of your opponent. Incorporate any psychological element such as who is in tilt or who plays with confidence, who are the ones who really seem to understand the game..If you watch the other players closely, you will start to get an idea of ​​how they play and you can start to classify them as "tight" or "wide". You will find that it will often be much easier to assign hands to tight players because you will be able to limit the possibilities to a much smaller range. The size of the bets is another important factor to consider. Most players choose the sizes of their bets for a reason, and you better understand why your opponent has chosen to bet or raise a particular amount. Most players naturally tend to follow bet schemes according to quality. of the hands they hold, and it is helpful to learn to recognize them. A player may raise a certain amount preflop when he has a premium hand and a different amount when he has a more marginal hand.

Incorporate all this information to put your opponent on a range of hands, and let the subsequent action help you narrow it down. The more you can focus on possible hands, the more effective your actions will become
 
C

Complx_Poker

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 14, 2018
Total posts
37
Chips
1
First you need to determine whether they are playing tight or loose.
In essence, the easiest way to determine this is how often they are folding. The more frequently they are folding, the more likely it is that they are playing tighter.
If they call a lot, chances are they are playing more loosely.
Then you need to determine whether they are playing passively or aggressively.
Do they raise frequently, do they always do continuation bets. Do they frequently steal blinds? might represent a Loose aggressive style of play.

Whenever they showdown their cards, go onto the hand history and see how they played the hand. Perhaps they raised 3BB with suited connectors such as 8 9 Diamonds. It kind of gives you a rough idea of what they consider to be raise-able hands.

Whenever cards are shown in a hand I always go back and check to see what their action was Pre flop and post flop.

On poker stars you can easily add notes to peoples names indicating what sort of action they took with whatever cards they had.

:)
 
F

flamerozzy

Rising Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Apr 2, 2019
Total posts
14
Chips
0
train this

you can train in with Equilab, so if the player play about 10% of the hands, put 10% in equilab and it will show a appropriate range, and then you can combine this results with the player style
 
R

recoveryagent

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 27, 2010
Total posts
135
Chips
0
i flip flop so much i dont know if any range is good for me but i pay attention to their willingness to see it to the end. If someone does show signs of folding easely then i take advantage of knowing how tight they are
 
eberetta1

eberetta1

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Aug 11, 2007
Total posts
2,218
Awards
7
US
Chips
162
I take note of when a player does an all in preflop. If there is no way you would do an all in with the cards they are are using, I would say you found yourself a loose player.
 
juninhigh

juninhigh

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 2, 2018
Total posts
227
Chips
0
Well to determine the villains range you have to know the image of them. If they're tight or loose. You to know what their betting size means and they play with position and out of position (if you're out the pot, try to focus how they played their hands, if it goes to showdown it's going to be perfect to you analyse all this factors). If you have all this you're going to read well the board texture and your enemies ranges.
 
Starting Hands - Poker Hand Nicknames Rankings - Poker Hands
Top