• Poker

How to Use a Poker Preflop Chart

Poker preflop charts are a great tool in every new player’s arsenal. Using these charts gives you an advantage over the other novice players at the table. When used correctly, a preflop chart will help set you up for success for the ensuing hand. 

Keep reading to learn more about preflop poker charts. I will tell you what they are, how to use them, and provide recommendations for the best poker sites to practice your chart skills today. 

What Are Poker Preflop Charts?

So, what is a poker preflop chart? As the name implies, these charts outline the best possible moves for a poker player preflop. In Texas Hold’em, the flop reveals the first three community cards. 

Your preflop actions are your first real chance to make an impact on a given hand. Will you be aggressive or passive? How much should you bet? How strong is your hand, and what are your possible winning hands?

All those questions and more can be answered by preflop charts for poker. You compare your starting hand to the chart to see the best strategy for that round. 

Your position at the table will also affect how you read the chart. Late-position players, for instance, have the advantage of seeing how other players are playing their hands. As a result, you have a wider range of strong poker hands compared to early-position players. 

Understanding Preflop Poker Ranges

The point of using a preflop poker chart is to help you decide how to play your specific hand. To do this, poker charts use ranges of starting hands to determine the best course of action. 

Players start with two cards, but there is a wide range of results for the opening deal. Your starting hand will fall into one of these ranges:

• Strong
• Medium
• Weak

Strong hands are great opportunities for players to be aggressive, while weak hands are usually best folded. As the name suggests, a strong hand, like pockets aces, gives you a good chance of having a high-ranking hand and winning the round. Weak hands are the least likely to become winners of any given round.  

Medium-strength hands are the trickiest for new players to navigate. Their viability could depend on your position, how aggressive other players are, and how risky you want to be. 

How to Use a Poker Preflop Chart

Creating an accurate preflop poker chart from scratch can be challenging. The good news is you can find free charts online for novice players. Also, learning to use a chart is simple to do. 

Once you know your starting hand, you need to watch the actions of the players ahead of you. This will tell you which chart to use. Then, find your starting hand in the chart to see the most recommended action. 

There are several actions your chart could recommend, including the following:

• Raise 
• Fold
• Call
• 3-bet
• Limp
• Bluff

Basic poker preflop charts will likely only tell you to raise, call, or fold. However, as you become a more advanced player and use more complicated charts, additional strategies, like bluffing, can be included in the chart. 

How to Find the Right Chart

Using a poker chart preflop can be extremely helpful for new players. But, how do you know which chart to use?

New players should use basic charts that are not overly complicated. However, as you become a better player, you can use your position and the actions of other players to access better charts. For instance, there are different charts for early and late-position players and separate charts for when you are in the Raise First In (RFI) position or facing a 3-bet scenario.  

The Best Poker Hands Preflop

Identifying the poker preflop ranges for every hand will help you determine how to play each hand. You will not win every hand, but knowing the best starting hands in poker can give you an edge over other players. 

For what it is worth, the five best poker hands preflop are as follows:

• Pair of Aces
• Pair of Kings
• Pair of Queens
• Ace, King suited
• Ace, King off suit

The five hands above are worth playing in most, if not all, situations in poker. Other hands, such as a pair of sixes or better, are also worth the risk, generally speaking. However, there are also hands like 8, 7 suited that depend on your position at the table. 

Adjusting Your Poker Preflop Strategy

Charts are great tools for finding the best strategy for preflop poker ranges. However, the chart itself can only account for a set number of factors.

As I mentioned above, there are charts for most starting situations in poker. If you play enough hands, you will inevitably run into situations not accounted for in your charts. 

Also, when playing against experienced players, you may need to deviate from your chart to avoid being too predictable. Likewise, if you think your opponent is sticking too closely to their chart, you can use that against them. 

Other factors, such as your current stack size, are essential to consider, too. For example, bluffing becomes a bigger risk if you have a low chip count. Also, you need to adjust the charts you use based on whether you are playing a cash game or participating in a tournament. 

Tips for Using Preflop Charts in Poker

Poker preflop charts are usually straightforward, but new players may still need help understanding these tools. Here are three tips to help you get the most out of using poker charts in preflop situations. 

• Try multiple charts: There are universal preflop charts that are great options for beginners. However, the more specific you can make each chart you use, the more success you will have. Trying different charts will help you find the ones that fit your playing style the best. 
• Practice in free games: The best way to improve at any card game, including poker, is to play as many hands as possible. This can be expensive, but the good news is you can practice for free online. The more you practice for free, the better you will be at using poker preflop charts successfully. 
• Try to memorize your charts: A third tip is to memorize the poker preflop charts that you use the most. The better you know each chart, the less you need to reference them during a game. If you take too long and players suspect you are using a chart, they can use that against you. 

Where to Practice Preflop Poker Chart Strategies

The best way to get better at using preflop poker charts is to play poker. Here are three top sites for practicing poker online. 

Ignition 

Ignition is one of the best places for anyone who enjoys poker. New players can find tables with low limits to help them minimize their experiences. Also, there is an exciting poker welcome bonus for new players that is worth up to $1,500. 

Also, Ignition offers a fantastic VIP rewards program that is catered to poker players. So, you can earn rewards while practicing with your preflop poker charts. 

BetOnline

Another great option for learning how to use preflop poker charts online is BetOnline. The poker room at this site is world-class and offers a wide range of table limits. 

BetOnline’s bonuses also include multiple promotions for poker fans. You can take advantage of exclusive welcome offers and compete for special jackpots only available in the poker room. There are a ton of tournament options as well, so you can practice your chart skills in multiple environments.

Bovada

Last but not least, Bovada is an excellent choice for anyone looking to master preflop poker ranges in an online setting. This site offers millions in guaranteed prizes every week in its poker events. There are RNG poker games available, too, so you can play at your own pace against the computer. 

New members can use the 100% poker welcome offer to add up to $500 in extra funds to their bankrolls. The bigger your bankroll, the more you can practice using preflop poker charts. Bovada also offers a top-notch mobile poker app, so you can practice on the go. 

Have You Used Poker Preflop Charts?

Using poker preflop charts will accelerate your learning as a novice poker player. These charts can also give you an edge over other players at the table by identifying the best action for every opening hand. Read the guide above to learn more about using charts for preflop poker hands. 

Then, sign up at Ignition Casino or another of our top-rated poker rooms to practice your skills today. New members of Ignition can add up to $1,500 in extra funds with the site’s welcome bonus offer.