Range Merging

[MemphisGrind]

Lately, I have been studying range merging, or more specifically playing with a merged range to avoid polarizing your range. Anyone have any good study articles that they have used in the past on this subject, or anyone want to have a discussion on this thread about it? Also how do you feel balancing your range ties in with merging your range?

 

[Andrew Popov]

I think that speaking of bands is important what exactly we play. There are no universal ranges for all poker game formats.

 

[MemphisGrind]

I think that speaking of bands is important what exactly we play. There are no universal ranges for all poker game formats.

I think you might be confused? range merging is not a defined range. It's not a universal range... it is betting a range that normally would be bet in either a very polarized spot or a pure bluff, having a merged range allows you to get thin value from certain villains because our range looks bluffy, or get the better hand to fold because our hand seems polarized.

 

[Andrew Popov]

Perhaps I really didn’t quite understand what I was talking about. Can you give an example or a link to a more detailed description? This will help the discussion and maybe someone else will join us.

 

[MemphisGrind]

There are many boards where the average player would only bluff or bet the nuts. But a player who merges his range has the ability to bet a hand somewhere between those two extremes, which makes it very difficult for his or her opponents to put them on an accurate hand. When players can’t put someone on a hand, they are likely to make mistakes.


Example:


You raise preflop with J

10

and get called by the button. The flop comes down 10

8

7

and you make a continuation bet, which is called. The turn is the 2

and you check. Your opponent checks behind and the river is the J

.
Here is a good spot to try and merge your range. The river improved your hand by giving you two pair, but it also created a really ugly board to navigate. Under normal poker conditions, most players would check here, because a bet is very polarized. Players who bet in this spot almost always have a strong hand like one that contains a nine for a straight or they have a complete bluff like a busted flush draw.
But with two pair, you can make a bet and completely throw your opponent off by merging your range. The bet accomplishes a couple of things. Because your opponent thinks you are polarized, he may try to pick off what he perceives to be a bluff attempt with a hand as weak as one pair. That gives you thin value.
But let’s say that your opponent has a better hand, like a set of sevens. Now, because you bet in a polarized spot, he could actually fold the best hand, assuming he is up against a straight. Your bet is essentially a bluff and a value bet at the same time, otherwise known as a range merge.
It’s worth nothing that if you merge your range too often, opponents will start adjusting by slow playing their strong hands, so it’s important to stay balanced.

 

[MemphisGrind]

Commenting here again just to bring it back up to the top.