Poker Starting Hands 2026: The Ultimate GTO Preflop Cheat Sheet

2026 Texas Hold'em Preflop Cheat Sheet cover image featuring RFI hand charts and strategy guide.

Are you playing too loosely? Or too tight? The most common leak for beginners is “Preflop Range Construction.”

This guide provides Updated Preflop Charts (RFI). We have condensed complex solver data into a “human-readable” format. These ranges ensure you play a mathematically sound strategy robust enough for standard 100BB cash games.

1. The 13×13 Hand Matrix

Below is a visual representation of a modern Cutoff (CO) Opening Range (~28-30%). Notice how it includes all suited Kings and broad coverage of suited connectors.

Chart: Cutoff (CO) Range
AA
AKs
AQs
AJs
ATs
A9s
A8s
A7s
A6s
A5s
A4s
A3s
A2s
AKo
KK
KQs
KJs
KTs
K9s
K8s
K7s
K6s
K5s
K4s
K3s
K2s
AQo
KQo
QQ
QJs
QTs
Q9s
Q8s
Q7s
Q6s
Q5s
Q4s
Q3s
Q2s
AJo
KJo
QJo
JJ
JTs
J9s
J8s
J7s
J6s
J5s
J4s
J3s
J2s
ATo
KTo
QTo
JTo
TT
T9s
T8s
T7s
T6s
T5s
T4s
T3s
T2s
A9o
K9o
Q9o
J9o
T9o
99
98s
97s
96s
95s
94s
93s
92s
A8o
K8o
Q8o
J8o
T8o
98o
88
87s
86s
85s
84s
83s
82s
A7o
K7o
Q7o
J7o
T7o
97o
87o
77
76s
75s
74s
73s
72s
A6o
K6o
Q6o
J6o
T6o
96o
86o
76o
66
65s
64s
63s
62s
A5o
K5o
Q5o
J5o
T5o
95o
85o
75o
65o
55
54s
53s
52s
A4o
K4o
Q4o
J4o
T4o
94o
84o
74o
64o
54o
44
43s
42s
A3o
K3o
Q3o
J3o
T3o
93o
83o
73o
63o
53o
43o
33
32s
A2o
K2o
Q2o
J2o
T2o
92o
82o
72o
62o
52o
42o
32o
22
Play (Raise)
Fold

Notation Key

s (Suited): Same suit (e.g., AKs). Upper-Right.
o (Off-suit): Different suits (e.g., AKo). Lower-Left.

Diagonal

The white line from AA to 22 represents Pocket Pairs. You play pairs more often than any other hand type.

2. RFI Charts by Position (6-Max)

RFI (Raise First In): Use these ranges when everyone before you has folded. These are Simplified GTO Ranges designed for humans.

UTG (Early Position) ~16% Range
Pocket Pairs 66+
Suited Hands ATs+ KJs+ QJs JTs T9s 98s A5s
Off-suit Hands AQo+
Key Adjustment: We include A5s and 98s/T9s for “Board Coverage.” If you only play high cards, you will never hit low flops. These hands allow you to bluff or hit disguised straights/flushes.
MP (Middle Position) ~20% Range
Pocket Pairs 55+
Suited Hands A8s+ KTs+ QTs+ J9s+ T9s 98s 87s A5s
Off-suit Hands AJo+ KQo
Strategy: We widen our range slightly. You can now profitably open Suited Connectors down to 87s. Note that weak off-suit broadways like KJo and ATo are still Folds here in a GTO strategy.
CO (Cutoff) ~28% Range
Pocket Pairs 22+ (All Pairs)
Suited Hands A2s+ K2s+ (All Suited Kings) Q6s+ J8s+ T7s+ 97s+ 65s+
Off-suit Hands A8o+ KTo+ QTo+ JTo
Stealing: A prime stealing position. We now play ALL Suited Kings and many more gappers. Off-suit Broadways (QTo, JTo) become standard opens.
BTN (Button) ~45-50% Range
Pocket Pairs 22+
Suited Hands Any Suited Ace (A2s+) Any Suited King (K2s+) Nearly all suited hands Q2s+ J4s+, T5s+ 53s+, 43s+
Off-suit Hands (Simplified) A8o+ K9o+ Q9o+ J9o+ T9o
The Button Strategy: We open Wide Suited Coverage. In 100BB GTO play, the Button opens nearly 50% of hands. While solvers mix-open weak off-suit hands (A2o-A7o), for simplicity and playability, we recommend prioritizing suited hands (down to 43s) and folding the weakest off-suit trash.

3. Three Rules for Success

1
No Limping (Open Limp)

Do not just “Call” the big blind. If your hand is good enough to play, it is good enough to Raise. Limping signals weakness.

2
The Gap Concept

These charts apply when everyone folds to you. If someone has already raised, you need a much stronger hand to Call or 3-Bet.

3
Stack Size Matters

These are 100BB ranges. If you are short-stacked (e.g., 20BB in a tournament), stop using these charts and switch to “Push/Fold” strategy.

Common Questions (FAQ)

Should I play Ace-Jack off-suit (AJo) from UTG?
No. AJo is often a “trap hand” in Early Position. It is easily dominated by AK or AQ. In a tough 6-max game, it is usually a Fold from UTG, but a clear Raise from MP, CO, or BTN.
What is the difference between 6-Max and Full Ring (9-Max)?
9-Max has 3 extra players in early positions. This means you must play much tighter in early position in a 9-Max game. However, once you get to the CO and BTN, the ranges are almost identical.
Why raise with Suited Connectors (like 87s)?
Suited connectors are raised to “balance” your range. If you only raise Aces and Kings, opponents will fold every time you bet on a low flop (like 6-7-8). Having 87s in your range allows you to hit these flops and win big pots.
What if I have 20 Big Blinds (Short Stack)?
These charts are for deep stacks (100BB+). If you are short-stacked in a tournament, you should stop raising with speculative hands (like 87s or 22) and focus on high-card strength (Ax, Kx) to go All-In.
How do I memorize these charts?
Don’t try to memorize every single hand at once. Focus on the “boundaries”. For example, remember that UTG stops at “Pairs 66+” and “Suited T9s”. As you get closer to the button, just remember to “widen” that boundary.

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