Range

All the hands a player could plausibly hold given how they have played so far. Thinking in ranges rather than trying to guess one exact hand is the core of modern strategy.

Related terms

Full glossary

Equity

Your share of the pot in the long run, expressed as a percentage: how often your hand wins (or ties) against y…

Continuation bet

A bet on the flop by the player who raised before the flop, made whether or not the flop helped them. It works…

Alpha (bluff break-even)

The percentage of the time a bluff needs to work to break even: bet ÷ (bet + pot). It is the mirror image of m…

Balance

Having a mix of strong hands and bluffs in the same line so that an opponent cannot tell which one you hold an…

Bankroll management

The discipline of only playing stakes your bankroll can survive. Rules of thumb: 20–50 buy-ins for cash games,…

Blind steal

A late-position raise with a weak hand whose main purpose is to win the blinds and antes uncontested. Steals f…

Block bet

A small bet made out of position, often on the river, with a medium-strength hand to set a cheap price and dis…

Blocker

A card in your hand that reduces the number of ways an opponent can hold a specific hand. Holding the ace of s…