Hand Ranges & Combos: Think in Distributions
Winning players don't ask 'what does he have?' — they ask 'what's his range?' A range is the full set of hands a player could hold, and combinatorics (counting combos) tells you how likely each one is.
From hands to ranges
Putting an opponent on one hand is a trap — you'll be wrong constantly. Instead, assign a range based on their action, position, and tendencies, then play correctly against the whole distribution. Ranges narrow street by street as more information arrives.
Counting combos
There are 16 combos of any unpaired hand (e.g., AK), 6 combos of any pocket pair, and 4 suited combos. Card removal matters: if you hold an ace, only 3 aces remain, cutting villain's AA combos from 6 to 3. These counts drive every balance decision.
Value vs. bluff combos
To bet a balanced river range you literally count combos: how many value combos vs. bluff combos do you have? The ratio determines whether your range is exploitable. Combinatorics turns 'feels balanced' into a number.
Blockers
A blocker is a card in your hand that removes combos from villain's range. Holding the ace of spades blocks the nut flush — making it a great bluffing card because villain is less likely to hold the hand that calls you.
Key takeaways
- Play against ranges, not single hands.
- 16 combos per unpaired hand, 6 per pair, 4 suited — card removal shifts these.
- Count value vs. bluff combos to check if a range is balanced.
- Blockers remove combos from villain's range and make better bluffs.
Drill this until it's instinct.
Reading the theory is step one. GTO Groove turns it into reps until the right play is automatic.
Start free — get in the groove →