dreamer13
Legend
Loyaler
Knowing how to bluff and not being afraid to take risks to the last in the right situations is an important aspect of playing poker successfully.If you have a good visual memory, you can simply try to memorize the shape of each chart. It's easier than you think, especially if you know where your hands are inside the box and understand how tight you should play in any position.Too many players never develop their preflop skills beyond static ranges. This is a symptom of 1- not developing the skills to observe and use that information to force exploitation against an opponent and 2- not thinking the hand through to the end.
s0ftdumps
Rock Star
Platinum Level
A lot of players lean too heavily on static preflop charts without adapting to table dynamics. Memorizing ranges is a solid foundation, but turning that into real edge means knowing when to deviate — whether that’s exploiting a nit who folds too much or a maniac who can’t lay down second pair. bluffing well and thinking beyond the flop are what separate solid regs from real crushers.
hardongear
Legend
Silver Level
You don't have to actually remember the whole charts. You just need to remember the bottom of the ranges for early, middle and late positions. Once you have down what the bottom of the ranges are for early, middle and late positions you then know the whole range(everything above the bottom). That's how I went about studying and learning ranges 15-20+ years ago.
After I got some experience, started studying my hand histories and gained notes on players I then focused on adjusting my ranges for different types of villains. Villains with high VPIP I'd call and raise a bit wider. Villains with lower VPIP I'd tight up my ranges and call there raises less and re-raise them less.
And as others have basically said knowing the charts is great and all but you also have to know when and how to adjust for table dynamics and each villain separately. And then there's knowing when and what villains to bluff. A lot of this comes from mostly experience and feel.
Cheers!!!
After I got some experience, started studying my hand histories and gained notes on players I then focused on adjusting my ranges for different types of villains. Villains with high VPIP I'd call and raise a bit wider. Villains with lower VPIP I'd tight up my ranges and call there raises less and re-raise them less.
And as others have basically said knowing the charts is great and all but you also have to know when and how to adjust for table dynamics and each villain separately. And then there's knowing when and what villains to bluff. A lot of this comes from mostly experience and feel.
Cheers!!!
C
constantinm
Rising Star
Bronze Level
amonlima
Visionary
Platinum Level
At first I would stick it on the wall, and when I had doubts I would quickly look at it, having a spreadsheet with all the ranges and you leave it open, and when you have a doubt you can take a quick look there, but to make it easier for you to memorize, always remember the edge of the range, e.g.: ATo+, A2s+ and so on, that way you will memorize it very easily.
dannystanks
Visionary
Silver Level
One thing that helped me was making the charts myself and then keeping them organized in a binder. When you physically hand write it, it just sticks more for me. Study them, look at them, look at the difference between each position and the difference in stack sizes. Study response charts also.
It takes work but keep at it and it will all come together eventually.
It takes work but keep at it and it will all come together eventually.
Flyer35
Legend
Platinum Level
I'm not sure remembering pre-flop charts really matters at the lower stakes. Other than as prep for the higher stakes, maybe. Most people shove, or call a shove with any pair and any high Ace, especially suited, from any position. The trick in those situations, which you will see a lot, is to get it in with mid suited connectors, and of course to get lucky.
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Oxinthewater
Rock Star
Silver Level
Not a very active player these days, but wanted to chip in on an interesting topic. I always felt that pre-flop charts were important, as they are they are far more realistic remember than anything post-flop, and thus more realistic. Obviously there's a difference between perfect recall (I never got there) and remembering the standout exceptions (often 3bets) and general boundaries.
A few things that may or not help :
- I did manage (almost) perfect recall for the comparably simpler game of blackjack just from having them sat on my desk and playing thousands of hands - it's slow but a sure way to get there.
- Learning from mistakes is very powerful, because you commit to memory - it's the (psychological) pain that makes you remember it. Every time you suffer a painful loss of a hand , make sure to take advantage of this - take a note and when you're later doing your analysis in poker tracker or similar, check whether you should have been in the hand to start with. Can do the same with other memorable hands, even if you won, as long as there's something memorable about it.
- Playing heads up is a great way to hone the process of following preflop tables ; obviously the tables are very different, but it can be a place to start.
A few things that may or not help :
- I did manage (almost) perfect recall for the comparably simpler game of blackjack just from having them sat on my desk and playing thousands of hands - it's slow but a sure way to get there.
- Learning from mistakes is very powerful, because you commit to memory - it's the (psychological) pain that makes you remember it. Every time you suffer a painful loss of a hand , make sure to take advantage of this - take a note and when you're later doing your analysis in poker tracker or similar, check whether you should have been in the hand to start with. Can do the same with other memorable hands, even if you won, as long as there's something memorable about it.
- Playing heads up is a great way to hone the process of following preflop tables ; obviously the tables are very different, but it can be a place to start.