Poker calculators
All calculatorsFor study and practice. Using charts or tools during real-money play may break site rules. Charts are a starting point: adjust for your opponents and the game you play.
How to use the starting hands chart
- Pick the table size: 6-max, or 9-max for a full ring game.
- Tap your position. The big blind does not open, so the chart starts at UTG.
- Read the grid. Pairs run down the diagonal, suited hands sit above it and offsuit hands below it. A green R means raise and a grey F means fold; in Simple mode, P means play.
- Tap or hover a hand to see its combos, the action and a short tip.
- Turn on "Compare with" to put two positions side by side, then copy the notation, open the range in another tool, or download or print the chart.
Why position matters
Position is how early or late you act. Acting last after the flop is a big advantage, because you see what everyone else does before you decide. That is why the same hand can be a raise in one seat and a fold in another.
Take UTG and the button in 6-max. From UTG, five players still act behind you and you act first after the flop, so the chart plays about 16% of hands. From the button only the blinds are left and you act last after the flop, so it plays about 45%. A5 offsuit is a raise on the button and a fold from UTG; J6 suited is a raise on the button and a fold from UTG too. Use the compare option to see the whole difference.
Starting hand categories
- Premium pairs (QQ to AA). The strongest hands. Raise them from every position.
- Broadways (ace, king, queen, jack, ten). High cards that make top pair and strong straights, but offsuit ones are often dominated by better versions of the same hand.
- Suited aces. They can make the nut flush. The smaller ones, A5s to A2s, also make wheel straights and are common raising hands in later positions.
- Suited connectors. Hands such as 98s or 76s win by making straights and flushes, so they gain most with deep stacks and in position.
- Small pairs (22 to 66). They mostly win by flopping a set, so they are better in late position where it is cheap to see a flop.
6-max versus full ring
With fewer players at the table there are fewer hands behind you, so ranges are wider. A full ring game of nine adds UTG+1, UTG+2 and the lojack in front, where ranges are tighter, while the late positions look much the same as in 6-max. The full-ring early-position ranges on this chart are draft estimates, marked with an asterisk.
Cash game and tournament adjustments
These charts assume about 100 big blinds. As stacks get shorter, hands that rely on implied odds, such as small pairs and suited connectors, lose value and raises turn into all-ins. Tournaments add pressure from prize payouts as well; the ICM Calculator shows how much that changes a decision. Charts for 40 and 20 big blinds are planned.
Common beginner mistakes
- Playing too many offsuit hands from early position.
- Limping into the pot instead of raising or folding.
- Playing the same hands from every seat and ignoring position.
- Using an opening chart when someone has already raised. These charts are for when it is folded to you; facing a raise needs tighter, different ranges.
- Treating a chart as a rule instead of a starting point. Adjust for the players at your table.
What this starting hands chart does
- Position by position. Tap UTG, HJ, CO, BTN or SB and see the opening range as a 13 by 13 grid, with a live percentage of hands and total combos.
- 6-max and full ring. Switch the table size. Full ring adds UTG+1, UTG+2 and the lojack.
- Colour and letters. Every cell has a colour and a letter (R for raise, F for fold, P for play), so the chart also works for colour-blind players.
- Hand details. Tap or hover a hand to see its name, how many combos it has, the action and a one-line tip.
- Compare positions. Put two positions side by side, such as UTG and the button, to see how much the range widens.
- Take it with you. Copy the range notation, open it in the Range Analyzer or Equity Pro, download a PNG, print it as a PDF or copy a link to the exact chart.
Starting hands chart FAQ
What are the best starting hands in poker?
The strongest Texas Hold'em starting hands are pocket aces, kings and queens, followed by ace-king, pocket jacks and tens, and ace-queen suited. Their value comes from high-card strength and the chance to win big pots, but even the best hand loses often enough that position and the opponent still matter.
How many hands should I play?
It depends on position. In this 6-max chart the range is about 16% of hands from UTG and about 45% from the button. If you are new, playing a little tighter than the chart is a sensible way to start.
Should I play suited connectors?
Suited connectors such as 98s or 76s make straights and flushes but rarely win without improving. They work best in position, with deep stacks and when several players see the flop, so the chart includes the stronger ones from early position and more of them from late position.
What is RFI?
RFI means "raise first in": raising when every player before you has folded. The open-raise charts on this page show which hands to raise first in from each position. Hands you call or re-raise against someone else's raise need different charts.
Is AKo better than a pocket pair?
Heads-up before the flop, ace-king offsuit is close to a coin flip against many pocket pairs and a clear underdog only against aces and kings. It also makes strong top pairs and nut straights, which is why it is an easy hand to play and a standard raise from every position.
Do these ranges work for tournaments?
The charts assume about 100 big blinds, which is close to a deep-stacked tournament or a cash game. With fewer big blinds, ranges tighten and raises turn into all-ins. Charts for 40 and 20 big blinds are planned.
Can I use a chart while playing for real money?
This chart is for study and practice. Using charts or tools during real-money play may break the rules of the site or room you play on, so check them before you do.
Related tools
- Poker Range Analyzer: edit any range, check blockers and compare two ranges on a board.
- Range Equity Analyzer Pro: see how a range does against another range.
- Poker Odds Calculator: exact equity for hands and ranges.
- Preflop Decision Trainer: quiz yourself on preflop decisions.
