Card notation
Learn pairs, suited hands and offsuit hands first
Preflop references use shorthand. AA is a pair, AKs means ace-king suited and AKo means ace-king offsuit.
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Premium
- Examples
- AA, KK, QQ, AKs, AKo
- How to read it
- Strong reference hands, still affected by stack, action and multi-way pressure.
Strong
- Examples
- JJ, TT, AQs, AJs, KQs, AQo
- How to read it
- Often playable, but not immune to reraises or poor position.
Playable
- Examples
- 99, 88, ATs, KJs, QJs, JTs, KQo
- How to read it
- Context-dependent hands that need position, price or weaker ranges.
Speculative
- Examples
- 77, 66, 55, A5s, T9s, 98s, 76s
- How to read it
- Hands that rely more on stack depth and implied odds.
Weak
- Examples
- A2o, K7o, Q8o, J7o, T6o, 84o
- How to read it
- Usually dominated or hard to realize equity with.
| Band | Examples | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Premium | AA, KK, QQ, AKs, AKo | Strong reference hands, still affected by stack, action and multi-way pressure. |
| Strong | JJ, TT, AQs, AJs, KQs, AQo | Often playable, but not immune to reraises or poor position. |
| Playable | 99, 88, ATs, KJs, QJs, JTs, KQo | Context-dependent hands that need position, price or weaker ranges. |
| Speculative | 77, 66, 55, A5s, T9s, 98s, 76s | Hands that rely more on stack depth and implied odds. |
| Weak | A2o, K7o, Q8o, J7o, T6o, 84o | Usually dominated or hard to realize equity with. |
These are XYES learning bands, not solver ranges
The five bands make the 169 starting-hand classes easier to discuss. They are not a universal poker ranking and do not tell you whether to call, raise, 3-bet or fold in a real lineup.
Information
Position changes the value of the same hand
Early position acts with less information. Late position sees more folds, calls and raises before choosing a line.
- A 6-max table removes several early seats; it does not turn UTG into the button.
- A 9-max label such as UTG+1 may not appear at 6-max, so copy ranges only when the table size matches.
- Button and cutoff positions can realize equity better because they act later after the flop.
- Blinds act early postflop, so defending them is not the same as entering from late position.
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UTG · First voluntary action preflop
- 6-max use
- First voluntary action preflop
- 9-max use
- Earliest position
- What changes
- The most players remain behind, so opening ranges are usually narrower.
MP / HJ · HJ is the middle seat
- 6-max use
- HJ is the middle seat
- 9-max use
- MP and HJ sit between early and late position
- What changes
- Information improves, but cutoff, button and blinds can still respond.
CO · Right of the button
- 6-max use
- Right of the button
- 9-max use
- Right of the button
- What changes
- A late position with only the button and blinds behind.
BTN · Dealer button
- 6-max use
- Dealer button
- 9-max use
- Dealer button
- What changes
- Acts last after the flop and sees the most preflop action before choosing.
SB · Posts the small blind
- 6-max use
- Posts the small blind
- 9-max use
- Posts the small blind
- What changes
- Acts early after the flop and has already committed a partial blind.
BB · Posts the big blind
- 6-max use
- Posts the big blind
- 9-max use
- Posts the big blind
- What changes
- Often closes preflop action if no further raise occurs, then acts early postflop.
| Seat | 6-max use | 9-max use | What changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| UTG | First voluntary action preflop | Earliest position | The most players remain behind, so opening ranges are usually narrower. |
| MP / HJ | HJ is the middle seat | MP and HJ sit between early and late position | Information improves, but cutoff, button and blinds can still respond. |
| CO | Right of the button | Right of the button | A late position with only the button and blinds behind. |
| BTN | Dealer button | Dealer button | Acts last after the flop and sees the most preflop action before choosing. |
| SB | Posts the small blind | Posts the small blind | Acts early after the flop and has already committed a partial blind. |
| BB | Posts the big blind | Posts the big blind | Often closes preflop action if no further raise occurs, then acts early postflop. |
Action before you
Open, call, 3-bet and squeeze spots are not the same question
A hand that opens comfortably can become a fold against a strong raise and a caller. Always ask what action has already happened.
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First in
- What it suggests
- You can choose whether to enter the pot.
- What to check
- Position, blinds, stack and table tendency.
Facing an open
- What it suggests
- Someone has already shown strength or range preference.
- What to check
- Opener position and your reverse implied-odds risk.
Facing a 3-bet
- What it suggests
- The pot is larger and ranges are narrower.
- What to check
- Effective stack, blockers and whether calling realizes equity.
Multi-way
- What it suggests
- More players share blockers and compete for showdown.
- What to check
- Dominated hands and speculative hands need different treatment.
| Situation | What it suggests | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| First in | You can choose whether to enter the pot. | Position, blinds, stack and table tendency. |
| Facing an open | Someone has already shown strength or range preference. | Opener position and your reverse implied-odds risk. |
| Facing a 3-bet | The pot is larger and ranges are narrower. | Effective stack, blockers and whether calling realizes equity. |
| Multi-way | More players share blockers and compete for showdown. | Dominated hands and speculative hands need different treatment. |
- 1
AJo on the button versus AJo facing early action
The cards are identical, but an unopened button spot and an early-position raise plus a caller represent different ranges, information and domination risk. The band alone cannot choose the action.
- 2
76s with deep stacks versus a short effective stack
A suited connector has more room to realize implied odds when effective stacks are deeper. With a short effective stack, there is less future money to win, so the same hand class changes context.
Stack depth
Effective stack decides how much can still be won or lost
Effective stack is the smaller stack between the active players. In multi-way pots, compare the relevant stacks for each all-in or side-pot path.
Short stacks reduce implied odds for small pairs and suited connectors because there is less future money to win when they hit. Deep stacks can increase reward, but they also increase reverse implied-odds risk when you make a second-best hand.
Opponent model
A range is the set of hands an opponent can plausibly have
Preflop decisions are not against one exact hand unless cards are exposed. They are against a range shaped by position, action, stack and player type.
- A tight range contains more strong hands and fewer weak continues.
- A wide range includes more suited, connected and weaker high-card hands.
- A range can narrow when an opponent raises again.
- Do not pick the range that makes your call look best; pick the range that matches the action.
Before practice
Read the postflop guide before testing a complete hand
A starting-hand band is only the first input. Learn how board texture, position, SPR and bet size change the spot before testing a complete hand in the trainer.
Continue in sequence; the maths guide and trainer come after the postflop framework.
Poker preflop FAQ
What do suited and offsuit mean?
Suited means both hole cards share the same suit. Offsuit means they do not. AKs is ace-king suited; AKo is ace-king offsuit.
- Suited hands can make flushes more often.
- Suitedness does not override position, action or stack depth.
Why is position so important preflop?
Position decides when you act. Acting later gives more information before choosing whether to fold, call, raise or continue after the flop.
- Late position often realizes equity better.
- Blinds act first postflop.
What is effective stack?
Effective stack is the smaller stack that can be won or lost between active players in the hand.
- Short stacks reduce implied odds.
- Deep stacks can increase both reward and reverse implied-odds risk.
Is a starting-hand chart a fixed betting rule?
No. A chart is a reference for hand strength. Real decisions still depend on position, previous action, effective stack, rake, opponent range and game type.
- Use charts to classify hands.
- Use position, action and stack depth to frame the real decision.
Sources and method
References used for this preflop guide
- MIT OpenCourseWare: Pre-flop AnalysisUsed to cross-check preflop range, position and starting-hand analysis concepts.
- Wizard of Odds: Texas Hold'emUsed to cross-check Hold'em rules, hand rankings and pot-odds context.
- Poker Tournament Directors Association: Poker TDA RulesUsed as a tournament action-order and procedure reference.
A better starting hand is not a guaranteed result
Poker still includes variance, rake and incomplete information. Do not use a starting-hand band as a reason to chase losses or play stakes beyond your budget.