Range Equity Analyzer
Calculate your hand's equity against an opponent's entire range of possible holdings. Unlike simple hand-vs-hand comparisons, range equity analysis provides realistic estimates of your winning chances by considering all the hands your opponent might have based on their position and actions. This tool uses Monte Carlo simulation to accurately calculate equity across thousands of possible scenarios.
Your Hand
Opponent's Range
Running Monte Carlo simulation...
Equity Analysis
Your Hand's Equity vs Range
| Outcome | Percentage | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Win | -- | -- |
| Lose | -- | -- |
| Tie | -- | -- |
Sample Matchups from Range
Run calculation to see matchups
Simulations: -- iterations
Calculation Time: -- ms
Understanding Range Equity
Range equity represents a fundamental shift in how experienced poker players think about hands. Rather than asking "do I beat pocket kings?", skilled players ask "what percentage of their entire range do I beat?" This perspective acknowledges that opponents don't show up with a single hand—they arrive with a range of possible holdings based on position, betting action, and player tendencies. According to research published in the Games and Economic Behavior journal, range-based thinking significantly improves decision-making in games of incomplete information like poker.
When an opponent raises from under-the-gun (UTG), they typically have a much stronger range than when raising from the button. A UTG opening range might contain only 10-15% of hands (mostly premium pairs and high suited connectors), while a button opening range could include 40% or more of hands. Your pocket tens might have 80% equity against a button's wide range but only 45% equity against a tight UTG range—the same hand, dramatically different prospects. Understanding these dynamics is essential for studying position theory and making profitable decisions.
Monte Carlo Method
This calculator uses Monte Carlo simulation—randomly sampling thousands of possible scenarios and averaging the results. By dealing out random boards and sampling hands from the opponent's range, we converge on accurate equity estimates. As noted by IBM Research, Monte Carlo methods are ideal for complex probability problems where analytical solutions are impractical. More simulations mean higher accuracy, which is why professional poker software typically runs 50,000+ iterations.
Polarized Ranges
A polarized range contains very strong hands and bluffs but excludes medium-strength holdings. For example, a polarized 3-betting range might include AA-QQ and A5s-A2s but exclude hands like AJo or 99. When facing polarized ranges, you need to correctly identify whether opponent has value or air—there's little middle ground. This affects your calling and bluffing frequencies. Learn more in our bluffing strategy guide.
Linear Ranges
A linear (or merged) range contains hands in continuous order of strength—AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AKs, AKo, TT, and so on. There are no "gaps" where medium hands are excluded. Linear ranges are common when value-betting for thin value or when pot odds make including marginal hands profitable. Understanding linear construction helps when analyzing opponent ranges in pot odds calculations.
Range Advantage
Range advantage describes which player's overall range is stronger on a given board texture. On an A-K-Q flop, a preflop raiser has range advantage because their range contains more big pairs and strong hands. This concept, discussed extensively on Two Plus Two poker forums, drives strategic decisions about bet sizing, continuation betting, and check-raising frequencies.
How to Use This Tool Effectively
Start by entering your hole cards—the hand you're analyzing. Then build the opponent's range by clicking hands in the matrix or using position presets. The matrix shows all 169 unique starting hands: pairs run diagonally (top-left to bottom-right), suited hands appear above the diagonal (green background), and offsuit hands appear below (brown background). Click individual hands to toggle them in/out of the range, or use presets to quickly load standard opening ranges.
For post-flop analysis, enter the board cards. The tool will then calculate your equity against the opponent's range considering the specific board texture. This reveals how different flops affect your hand's value—for instance, how your pocket nines perform against a tight range on a low board versus an ace-high board. These insights connect directly to concepts covered in our bet sizing strategy guide and SPR calculator.
Common Range Constructions
Understanding typical ranges by position helps you make better decisions without laboriously constructing ranges hand-by-hand. While actual ranges vary by player tendencies and game dynamics, these frameworks provide reasonable defaults:
- UTG (12%): 77+, ATs+, KQs, AJo+, KQo — Very tight, mostly premium hands
- Middle Position (15%): 55+, A9s+, KJs+, QJs, ATo+, KQo — Slightly wider but still selective
- Cutoff (25%): 22+, A2s+, K9s+, Q9s+, J9s+, T8s+, 97s+, A8o+, KTo+, QJo — Building steal equity
- Button (40%): 22+, A2s+, K2s+, Q2s+, J5s+, T6s+, 96s+, 86s+, 75s+, A2o+, K7o+, Q9o+, J9o+ — Maximum stealing position
- Small Blind (35%): Similar to button but slightly tighter due to positional disadvantage
These ranges assume 100 big blind effective stacks in a standard game. Tournament situations, especially with ICM pressure, require tighter constructions as explored in our ICM calculator. Short-stack situations (under 20 BBs) shift toward push/fold strategies covered in the Nash push/fold calculator.
Why Range Equity Matters
Hand-vs-hand equity is a starting point, but range equity drives real poker decisions. When you know your AK has 43% equity against an opponent's 15% opening range, you can calculate whether calling a 3-bet is profitable. When you see that your flush draw has 35% equity against their continuation betting range, you can determine if check-raising is a viable play. These calculations, combined with expected value analysis, form the foundation of winning poker strategy.
Modern poker software and study tools, as reported by PokerNews strategy section, universally incorporate range-based analysis. Whether using solvers like PioSOLVER, GTO+ or training sites, range equity is the language of contemporary poker education. This free tool provides an accessible entry point to thinking about hands in range terms.
Practical Applications
Use range equity analysis to answer questions like:
- Should I call this 3-bet with pocket nines? → Calculate equity vs their 3-betting range
- Is my top pair good enough to stack off? → Analyze equity vs their value/bluff range
- How does this board favor the preflop raiser? → Compare range equities on different textures
- Am I ahead of their continuation betting range? → Input their c-bet range and check equity
Combine range equity analysis with pot odds (see our pot odds calculator) to make mathematically sound decisions. If you have 40% equity and need only 33% to call profitably, the call is correct—regardless of what specific hand your opponent holds. This is the power of range-based thinking: it turns subjective guessing into systematic analysis.
Related Tools
Maximize your poker study by combining this range analyzer with our other tools:
- Hand Range Visualizer — Explore position-based opening ranges interactively
- Hand Equity Calculator — Compare specific hands head-to-head
- Combination Calculator — Understand hand combos and blocker effects
- Expected Value Calculator — Calculate the profitability of any decision
- Preflop Trainer — Practice opening ranges by position
- Variance Simulator — Visualize long-term results with Monte Carlo
Frequently Asked Questions
What is range equity in poker?
Range equity is the percentage of time your hand will win against all possible hands in an opponent's range. Unlike hand-vs-hand equity which compares two specific hands, range equity accounts for the fact that opponents could have many different hands based on their position and actions. For example, your AK might have 65% equity against one specific hand but 52% equity against an entire opening range.
How does Monte Carlo simulation work for poker equity?
Monte Carlo simulation randomly deals out thousands of possible board run-outs and samples hands from the opponent's range, then calculates win/loss/tie outcomes for each trial. The aggregate results converge to the true equity as more simulations run, typically achieving high accuracy with 10,000+ simulations. This method handles the complexity of range-vs-hand calculations that would be impractical to compute exactly.
Why is range equity more useful than hand-vs-hand equity?
Range equity provides a more realistic analysis because opponents rarely have a single specific hand—they have a range of possible hands based on their position, betting actions, and tendencies. Understanding how your hand performs against an entire range helps make better decisions than knowing you beat or lose to one specific hand. Professional players think exclusively in range terms.
What is a polarized vs linear range?
A polarized range contains very strong hands and bluffs but few medium-strength hands (like AA-QQ and some suited connectors, skipping hands like TT-88). A linear range contains hands that get progressively weaker in a continuous fashion (like AA down through weak pairs and high cards). Different range constructions require different counter-strategies and affect your bluff-catching decisions.
How accurate is this equity calculator?
With 10,000 Monte Carlo simulations (the default), accuracy is typically within 1% of true equity. The calculator randomly samples both possible boards and hands from the opponent's range, then averages results. For more precise analysis, professional software uses 50,000+ iterations, but our default provides excellent accuracy for study purposes while maintaining fast calculation times.