Ever wonder how the pros know whether to play the 2-card hand they're dealt in Texas Hold'em? You've got to know when to hold'em and know when to fold'em, right? And, they seem to know when to do just that. Now, you can know too because there's an app for that! It's called "Starting Hand Ranges", and it enables you to create unique starting hand ranges based on the number of opponents you're facing and how loose or tight you want to play. And, in the long run, that gives YOU a winning edge, just like the pros!


How did we determine this? We played every possible starting hand to showdown at least 20 million times against every possible number of opponents from 1-9 to get the average winning percentage for that hand. We then ranked the hands by winning percentage and plotted them on a matrix according to their ranking.

 

And, the best part is, you don't have to use complex algorithms or try to remember long strings written in obscure hand notation. All you need to remember is 3 values that represent a given range called, Range Descriptors. These values enable you to determine whether a starting hand is in or out of your desired range.

Watch the Video

Opening Screen


The opening screen shows:

 

  • The number of opponents you are playing at the top.
  • A matrix in the middle showing all 169 possible starting hands. The squares above the diagonal represent suited hands. The squares below the diagonal represent unsuited hands. Pairs are along the diagonal. Squares in this example are color-coded to show the top 5 (yellow), top 10 (add red), top 20 (add magenta), and the top 40 (add orange).
  • A selector above the matrix to choose what to display in the body of the matrix. Rank shows the ranking of hands from 1-169 for the number of opponents at the top. Win% shows the chances of winning with a given hand if it is played to showdown. Hands displays the hand notation that each square represents. Descriptors brings up a special overlay that will be described in more detail below. It is used to refine the range to your liking.
  • Numbers at the bottom showing the number of hands in the range. The example shows a range representing the top 40 hands, or 18.10% of hands dealt.
  • A Save button to save the range in the Favorites table.
  • A +/- selector to refine the range by adding or removing one hand at a time.
  • A thumb slider for increasing/decreasing the range shown in the matrix.

 


Descriptors Screen

Pressing the "Descriptors" selector overlays information about the selected range.

 

  • At the top are the Range Descriptors. These are 3 values that describe the range. They are as follows for this example of the top 40 hands against 9 opponents:

7: The first value describes the pairs along the diagonal that are in the range. In this case, a pair of 7s or better.

 

28998: The second value describes the suited hands that are in the range. Each number represents the end of each row for A, K, Q, J, etc. that is in the range. In this case, A2s, K8s, Q9s, J9s, T8s (where "s" means "suited"). 

 

TTL: The third value describes the unsuited hands in the range. Each number represents the end of the columns for A, K, Q, J, etc. in the range. In this case, ATu, KTu, QJu, (where "u" means "unsuited"). 

 
That's it! Those 3 values describe the whole range and are what you need to remember for this range.

  • In the middle of the overlay are 3 percentage values:

% of Hands Dealt: This value is the percentage of the hands you are expected to be dealt that are within the range. For this example, 18.1% of your hands dealt are expected to be in the top 40 hand range against 9 opponents.

Range WIN%: This value shows the minimum and maximum win percent within the range. In this example, the highest hand, a pair of Aces (AA), wins 31% of the time, while the lowest hands, A2s, ATu, KTu, only win an estimated 13.4% of the time.

Fair WIN%: This is the winning percentage you could expect if everything were equal and you didn't pay attention to your starting hand range. With 10 players in the game, for example, you might expect to win about 10% of the time. 
 
The idea is to choose a range that gives you an edge over the "Fair" Win%. In this example, playing the top 40 hands against 9 opponents gives you a 30% edge over over the Fair Win% (13% versus 10%). This small edge, in the long run, should make you a winner. It's small edges like this that build magnificent casinos. And it's edges like this that will give you the opportunity to win more pots more often. While there are no guarantees, you do want the odds on your favor, right?
 
So, what if your playing 6 opponents, 3 opponents, or maybe heads up (1 opponent). You just change the number of opponents at the top, and voilà, the matrix automatically adjusts for you.
 
And, what if you want to play tighter, as when you're "under the gun" (check the glossary), for example. Then, you might want to play the top 20 hands, or maybe the top 10 or 15 if you want to be super-tight.
 
You can save your favorite ranges with that big red "Save" button. And, if that slider gives you any trouble with precision, just tame it with that +/- selector to move one hand at a time. Or, use the +/- selector while looking at the Descriptors screen to single-step to get the maximum range for the Win% you want.

  • At the bottom, the HANDS IN RANGE are spelled out in detailed hand notation. You don't have to remember all this, just the 3 Range Descriptors at the top. 
 
If the game you're in frowns on the use of electronic devices (and many do), no problem. In fact, that's where this app really shines. You just have 3 values to remember—the Range Descriptors—for the number of opponents you're facing.
 
Starting Hand Ranges is the app that lets YOU set the edge you want to increase your chances of winning!

Download this app now before your next game and get the winning edge!

Download now to improve your chances of winning at Texas Hold'em!

Starting Hand Ranges is the App that puts YOU in control of winning Texas Hold'em from the start!

 

  • No ads
  • No in-app purchases
  • No Internet connection needed
  • No annoying please-rate-me pop-ups

 

Create your own unique Starting Hand Ranges now that give YOU the winning EDGE!

Contacts

If you have issues, comments, or suggestions for improvement please contact us at:

 

Email: startinghandranges@gmail.com

 

And, if you like our app, please give us a good rating in the App Store. It could be good karma for you and more incentive for us!

 

Thanks, and good luck!

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© 2014 Ronald Baldridge. All rights reserved.