Fundamentals

How to read a poker range chart.

6 minute read · Updated September 2026

A range chart is a map of possible starting hands. It helps you compare decisions by seat and situation without memorizing 1,326 individual card combinations.

Why the chart is 13 by 13

There are 13 card ranks, from ace down to two. Each square represents a pair of ranks. The diagonal shows pairs, such as AA or 77. One side shows suited hands, such as AKs, where both cards share a suit. The other side shows off-suit hands, such as AKo, where they do not.

What the shorthand means

AJs means ace-jack suited. KQo means king-queen off-suit. The letter s means suited; o means off-suit. The chart does not specify a particular suit unless the exercise says so.

Colors and frequencies

Many charts use color to show whether a hand is usually raised, called, or folded. A split-colored square can represent a mixed strategy: choose one action some of the time and another action the rest. The exact colors and percentages depend on the chart’s assumptions, including seat, stack depth, bet size, and earlier action.

Use it as a guide

Read the situation first, then the square. A chart for the button opening an unopened pot is not a chart for facing a raise from the big blind. All In’s in-app charts are approximate training references for selected preflop situations, not solver-certified solutions. They help you notice patterns and ask better questions.

Start simple: Pick one seat. Find the pairs, suited aces, and broadway hands on its chart. Then compare how the playable area changes when you move to an earlier seat.

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