Practical guide to opening ranges: from UTG to the Button

Building good pre-flop opening ranges in Texas Hold'em is one of the most important pillars for winning at poker. A well-calibrated hand selection by position (UTG, MP/HJ, CO, and Button), combined with consistent open-raise sizes and adjustments to the field, reduces costly mistakes and facilitates decisions on subsequent streets. This practical 100% guide brings together modern principles (solvers/GTO), exploit readings, and actionable recommendations for cash games and MTTs – always in simple and applicable language.

Transparency note: The following content is based on widely accepted principles in the strategy community (e.g., public materials and internationally recognized courses) and is in line with what solvers suggest for 100bb. Adapt everything to your environment (online, live, micro/medium stakes) and the trends of your opponents.

Why do opening ranges matter so much?

• Economics of EV: placing the right hands in the right places avoids marginal spots that are out of position.
• Improved post-flop navigability: strong ranges per position facilitate efficient c-bets and clear value.
• Protection against exploitation: with stable frequencies, you reduce "gaps" that aggressive villains can exploit.
• Consistency: an objective framework reduces emotional fluctuations and disorganization at the table.

Fundamentals that shape a good range

1) Position

The earlier (UTG/MP), the tighter your range should be; the later (CO/BTN), the wider and with a greater presence of speculative hands and decent offsuits.

2) Rake and ante

In online cash games with high rake, initial ranges tend to be a bit tighter, especially without an ante. At tables with an ante (live deep or some online formats), you can open 1-3 percentage points wider per position, as there is more dead money.

3) Stack size

With 100bb, connectors and suited aces gain value. With 20-40bb (very common in MTTs), weak offsuits lose appeal and the relative value of hands that flirt with a 3-bet shove changes considerably.

4) Field Trends

If the blinds are calling too much, open stronger (and larger). If 3-bets are being played too often, press UTG/HJ and introduce 4-bets with blockers (A5s, KQs) at the right frequencies.

5) Blockers and board covers

Suited Ax and suited connectors help to block 3-bets and connect well on varied flops, maintaining your board coverage and the ability to semi-bluff turn/river.

Recommended baseline (100bb, 6-max, no ante): from UTG to BTN

The percentages and examples below provide a solid starting point for 6-max cash games without an ante. Adjust for 9-max (a little tighter in UTG/MP), for environments with an ante (a little looser), and for the style of the field.

These percentages are "average" and work well against most fields. In 9-max, reduce UTG to ~10-12% and MP to ~15-18%. In games with an ante, open 1-3% more in HJ/CO/BTN.

Practical examples by position

• UTG: ‌77+, AJo+, ATs+, KQs, KJs, QJs, JTs, T9s, 98s, ​A5s-A4s (part of the time), KQo (part of the time).
• HJ: 66+, ‍AJo+, A9s+, KQo, KJs-KTs, ‍QJs-QTs, JTs, T9s, ‌ 98s, 87s, A5s-A2s⁣ (mix).
• CO: 55+, ATo+, A9s-A2s, ⁢KJo+, KTs+, QJo, ⁢QTs+, JTs-T8s, 98s-76s, 65s (mix), some A9o-A5o (mix).
• BTN: 22+, A2o+, Axs, ​KTo+, K9s+, ⁣QTo+, Q9s+, ⁤JTo, J9s+, T9s-54s, 64s, ‍43s, K8o/Q8o (mix), some K7o/Q7o (mix).

Recommended open-raise sizes

Maintaining consistent sizing by position helps with field reading and reduces exploitation. Adjust based on the blinds' profile.

Exploitative adjustments that print EV

1) Passive blinds who defend too much

• open up a little more in CO/BTN (e.g., +2-4% of combos).
• Increase sizing in CO (2.5x-2.7x) with value hands and suited connectors; extract from the worst calls.

2) Opposition with aggressive 3-bet

• UTG/HJ: reduce marginal offsuits (KQo/AJo), focus on hands that play well in a 3-bet pot (AQs, TT-QQ, A5s as a 4-bet mix bluff).
• BTN: Prefer suited/connected bets over weak offsuits; maintain a clear 4-bet package with blockers (A5s-A4s, KQs sometimes).

3) Multiway recreational tables

• EP/MP: tighten and increase sizing; avoid AJo/KQo offsuit multiway out of position.
• CO/BTN: value hands that achieve multiway equity (suited aces, middle pairs, SCs). Beware of weak top pair.

4) Very strong blinds

• Reduce 3-5% on the BTN, swapping medium-weight offsuits for more suited/gapper players that perform better post-flop.
• Mix limps in the small blind (outside the main scope here), if it's part of your strategy.

Stack adaptations (especially useful in MTTs)

• 40-60bb: ranges close to cash games, but cut some marginal offsuits in open play; keep strong Aces, pairs, and small blinds.
• 25-35bb: reduce weak connectors in EP/HJ; ATo/KJo become more frequent folds out of position; strengthen the core value.
• 15-25bb: shove/reshove privileges greatly change decisions; in open-raise, avoid spots that become bad versus 3-bet shove. Weak Axo and offsuit broadways lose; pairs and Axs win.
• ICM/bubble: Press EP/MP; increase blind steal on the BTN when medium stacks call tight due to prize pressure.

Border hands: open, mix, or fold?

Use the table as a quick guide on standard tables. Adjust for the villains to your left.

Common mistakes when opening from UTG to BTN

• open ‌broadways offsuit too much in‍ EP (AJo/KQo/kjo) and suffer 3-bet out of position.
• Ignoring the rake and opening "too wide" on online microstakes – avoid it, especially without an ante.
• Vary the sizing significantly depending on hand strength (specifically, your hand strength). Prefer consistency by position.
• Copying 6-max ranges into 9-max ranges without pressing UTG/MP.
• Do not adjust to the field: static ranges without exploits lose real EV.

How to study and measure your progress

• Create simplified range cards by position and review them before the session. 2-3 minutes already helps a lot.
• Do drills: shuffle a deck of cards, deal 100 simulated hands per position and decide to "open/fold/mix". Write down any questions.
• Review the open hands by position in the tracker (HM/PT/Hand2Note); compare your % with the baseline of this guide.
• Mark border hands and study responses to 3-bets: call, 4-bet for value, 4-bet with blockers.

6-max vs. 9-max, without ante vs. with ante, online vs. live

• 6-max: ⁤ranges are a bit wider globally; BTN easily reaches 50%.
• 9-max: UTG ~10-12%, MP ~15-18%; HJ/CO/BTN approach 6-max as the table tapers.
• Without ante: play a little tighter, especially in EP; prioritize high cards and pairs.
• With ante: incentive steals; increase CO/BTN in 1-3% and consider slightly larger sizing.
• Online: smaller opens (2.0x-2.3x/2.5x) help against rake and frequent 3-bets.
• Live: Larger sizings punish limpers and callers; discipline in EP is gold.

Quick checklist before pressing the raise button.

• Does my stance favor this hand? (EP needs to be linear and strong.)
• Who is in the blinds – loose/passive or aggressive? Hand adjustment and sizing.
• Do stack sizes allow for equity? (Connectors and Axs shine deep.)
• Is there an ante on the table? If so, stealing is more worthwhile.
• What will my strategy be against a 3-bet? (Fold/call/4-bet with blockers.)

Quick FAQ

What is UTG? Under the Gun: first position to act pre-flop in 9-max; in 6-max, it's still the first position and should be tight.

What is HJ? Hijack: Position to the right of the CO. Intermediate range – wider than MP, tighter than CO.

Should I always open it to the same size? Maintaining sizing by position (rather than by hand) is recommended. Situational adjustments are welcome.

Conclusion

Mastering opening ranges from UTG to the button in Texas Hold'em brings clarity, consistency, and sustainable profit. Use the baselines in this guide as a foundation, adjust for the rake/ante and blind profile, and evolve with constant revisions. With discipline, you avoid classic mistakes (opening too wide in pre-flop, inconsistent sizing) and start reaching profitable post-flop spots more often.

Now it's your turn: how are your percentages by position? Which border hands bother you the most (KQo in UTG, A9o in HJ, KTo in CO…)? Tell us in the comments, share this guide with anyone who needs to organize their pre-flop, and let's exchange lines and adjustment options for different fields. Good luck at the tables!