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When you are not under the gun, we can widen the range of hands we can open and call with as we get closer to the button. In Part 3 of our CardsChat Learning Series on position and game stages, we’re exploring how much you can widen your ranges and why we can do that. We'll also cover when you need to be aware of how this can be used against you.
💡 Missed Part 1? Click here to catch up on Blind vs Blind strategy
💡 Missed Part 2? Click here to catch up on Big Blind Defense
🔍 What We’ll Cover:
💥 Why and How we can widen our range from later positions
In poker, the more information you have about a hand, the better your decision making will be. Pre-flop when we are under the gun, we have absolutely no information about our opponents because they haven't acted yet, so you have to play more cautiously. However, the closer to the button and blinds we are, the more information we have about the players behind us, which allows us to play more aggressively and play more hands knowing there are fewer hands to act, and it's less likely that better hands are still to act.
How much can you widen though?
As a general rule, if you are thinking about VPIP you are looking at the following guidelines:
💥 Do you raise or limp first into a pot?
Generally we should be raising into a pot when we are first in, but this shoulf not be a hard and fast rule - especially when you start opening up your range closer to the button. By limping from time to time, especially with hands of varying strengths, you will keep your opponents guessing as to whether your hand is very strong, or weaker than expected, and this can.
When to Limp
💥 How does this affect your three-bet range?
We'll tackle this in two parts - the first being when we raise from later positions and get faced with a three bet - what can we call comfortably, and the second being when we limp and get raised, what could our three-bet range look like.
We raise & get three-bet - now what?
So we raised from a position other than the button and UTG and someone after us three-bet. We have to keep in mind a few things before making a decision:
We limped & get raised - what should we three-bet with?
Your action in this situation is going to depend on what your plan was before you limped - are you trying to see a cheap flop, or trying to trap an overzealous player after you. Is the plan still in play - did others limp with you, ordid a more passive, conservative player raise?
If you are looking to trap, and are now heads-up with a powerful hand, were you planning on being passive pre or strong pre and go for the limp-raise? Unless you have a reason to deviate from the plan, it's time to execute it because you got what you wanted!
However, if you limped hoping to play a smaller pot with a more spectulative hand, then you have a decision to continue. Consider the factors above and adjust your plan to continue or fold but you need to stick with your plan past this point!
💥 What you need to be aware of when you widen your range
Playing a lot of hands from later position is going to alert your opponents to how many hands, and potentially weak your hands might be, so you always need to be aware of your image at the table. They will play back at you at some point, but what you need to consider is WHO is playing back at you. Is it someone who is also aggressive pushing back, someone out of position to you, or someone who is not as aggressive who raised you. This will be a sign as to the potential range they are playing, and if they think you are playing too wide.
So long as you know what your plan is by playing more hands in later positions, you will be well equipped to deal with the pushback when it comes.
💥 How you can defend yourself against later position three bets
The best defense against later position three bets is to four bet. While this is a risky strategy, if you have a plan going into the hand you should be able to handle the pressure once it's applied.
Keep in mind that you want to be in a position that your opponents don't know the strength of your hand when you raise - going to showdown and showing a wider range will help build the image that your raise range is wide. But, occasionally four-betting when you get push back and NOT showing those hands will build a case that you are ONLY four betting premium hands - especially out of position. While this is not going to be true, the fact is that the range of a three-better in position could be wider than they are comfortable calling a four bet will help you win more chips and not go to showdown.
🎯 Summary: Widening Your Range
The end goal is to be able to use the power of position to your advantage in hands and win more pots without going to showdown. By building a plan for the hand BEFORE you start, and knowing what you want to accomplish pre and post flop regardless of what the other players do, will build your confidence when playing with a wider range of hands from later positions. The information gained, plus the ability to act last post flop are all points that you should use against your opponent's - just don't play too many hands, or have no plan!
💬 How Do You Widen Your Range?
Do you like to limp and trap your opponents, or like to put pressure on specific players after you at the table every rotation??
Drop your strategy (or hand history) below — let’s learn from each other before we move into Part 4: Post flop.
🔔 Subscribe to the CardsChat Learning Series
So you never miss the next drop! Turn on notifications and keep sharpening your edge — one position at a time.
You can find all our poker learning series right here: CardsChat Learning Poker Thread Series Guide
💡 Missed Part 1? Click here to catch up on Blind vs Blind strategy
💡 Missed Part 2? Click here to catch up on Big Blind Defense
🔍 What We’ll Cover:
- Why and how we can widen our range from later positions
- Do you raise or limp first into a pot?
- How does this affect your three-bet range?
- What you need to be aware of when you widen your range
- How you can defend yourself against later position three bets
💥 Why and How we can widen our range from later positions
In poker, the more information you have about a hand, the better your decision making will be. Pre-flop when we are under the gun, we have absolutely no information about our opponents because they haven't acted yet, so you have to play more cautiously. However, the closer to the button and blinds we are, the more information we have about the players behind us, which allows us to play more aggressively and play more hands knowing there are fewer hands to act, and it's less likely that better hands are still to act.
How much can you widen though?
As a general rule, if you are thinking about VPIP you are looking at the following guidelines:
- Under the Gun --> 15%
- Middle Position --> 20%
- High Jack --> 25%
- Cutoff --> 30%
- Button --> 50%+
- Are the players to your left passive and tight, or more aggressive?
- What's your current table image?
- What are your & your opponent's stack sizes
💥 Do you raise or limp first into a pot?
Generally we should be raising into a pot when we are first in, but this shoulf not be a hard and fast rule - especially when you start opening up your range closer to the button. By limping from time to time, especially with hands of varying strengths, you will keep your opponents guessing as to whether your hand is very strong, or weaker than expected, and this can.
When to Limp
- Trapping - You have a monster and you want to draw more money into the pot, and potentially three-bet a raiser from later position looking to asert themselves in the hand
- Passive Players - You have more passive players behind you, more likely to limp or fold than raise. Limping may give you access to more and cheap flops in the hopes of hitting a big hand
- Aggressive Players - There may be more aggressive players behind you, likely to three-bet your raise. By limping, and letting them raise, you invest less pre-flop especially on hands that need assistance to improve like suited connectors
- Balancing Range - Always raising pre-flop will make you suspectable to being predictable and will face more three-bets from later players who have picked up on this - this can be an uncomfortable spot if your range widen so much that you now can't call these three-bets out of position.
- Shorter Stacks - If you or your opponents behind you are short stacked, limping may induce more calls and less shoves if they want to play a hand, but don't want to committ all of their chips yet. If you are not deep enough to comfortably play a hand by raising pre, limping could reduce the size of the pot, and give you fold equity later in the hand.
💥 How does this affect your three-bet range?
We'll tackle this in two parts - the first being when we raise from later positions and get faced with a three bet - what can we call comfortably, and the second being when we limp and get raised, what could our three-bet range look like.
We raise & get three-bet - now what?
So we raised from a position other than the button and UTG and someone after us three-bet. We have to keep in mind a few things before making a decision:
- Is the raiser an aggressive player?
- Did anyone else limp?
- What is your image at the table?
We limped & get raised - what should we three-bet with?
Your action in this situation is going to depend on what your plan was before you limped - are you trying to see a cheap flop, or trying to trap an overzealous player after you. Is the plan still in play - did others limp with you, ordid a more passive, conservative player raise?
If you are looking to trap, and are now heads-up with a powerful hand, were you planning on being passive pre or strong pre and go for the limp-raise? Unless you have a reason to deviate from the plan, it's time to execute it because you got what you wanted!
However, if you limped hoping to play a smaller pot with a more spectulative hand, then you have a decision to continue. Consider the factors above and adjust your plan to continue or fold but you need to stick with your plan past this point!
💥 What you need to be aware of when you widen your range
Playing a lot of hands from later position is going to alert your opponents to how many hands, and potentially weak your hands might be, so you always need to be aware of your image at the table. They will play back at you at some point, but what you need to consider is WHO is playing back at you. Is it someone who is also aggressive pushing back, someone out of position to you, or someone who is not as aggressive who raised you. This will be a sign as to the potential range they are playing, and if they think you are playing too wide.
So long as you know what your plan is by playing more hands in later positions, you will be well equipped to deal with the pushback when it comes.
💥 How you can defend yourself against later position three bets
The best defense against later position three bets is to four bet. While this is a risky strategy, if you have a plan going into the hand you should be able to handle the pressure once it's applied.
Keep in mind that you want to be in a position that your opponents don't know the strength of your hand when you raise - going to showdown and showing a wider range will help build the image that your raise range is wide. But, occasionally four-betting when you get push back and NOT showing those hands will build a case that you are ONLY four betting premium hands - especially out of position. While this is not going to be true, the fact is that the range of a three-better in position could be wider than they are comfortable calling a four bet will help you win more chips and not go to showdown.
🎯 Summary: Widening Your Range
The end goal is to be able to use the power of position to your advantage in hands and win more pots without going to showdown. By building a plan for the hand BEFORE you start, and knowing what you want to accomplish pre and post flop regardless of what the other players do, will build your confidence when playing with a wider range of hands from later positions. The information gained, plus the ability to act last post flop are all points that you should use against your opponent's - just don't play too many hands, or have no plan!
💬 How Do You Widen Your Range?
Do you like to limp and trap your opponents, or like to put pressure on specific players after you at the table every rotation??
Drop your strategy (or hand history) below — let’s learn from each other before we move into Part 4: Post flop.
🔔 Subscribe to the CardsChat Learning Series
So you never miss the next drop! Turn on notifications and keep sharpening your edge — one position at a time.
You can find all our poker learning series right here: CardsChat Learning Poker Thread Series Guide
