Polarized range
A range made of very strong hands and bluffs, with few medium hands.
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- What it means
- A polarized range sits at both ends of the equity distribution: nutted value hands at the top, air at the bottom, and little in between.
- How it is calculated
- On the range theory page a range counts as polarized when at least 35% of its combos are strong, at least 25% are weak and no more than 30% sit in the middle. These cut-offs are a simplification for the drill.
- Worked example
- On a K♠9♠4♦2♣7♥ river, a player who bets sets and missed flush draws and checks their one-pair hands bets a polarized range: roughly 100% or 0% equity, and nothing near 50%.
- Why it matters
- A polarized range wants a big bet or an overbet: the value hands win a bigger pot, and the bluffs need a large bet to fold out better hands. It is the counterpart of a linear range.
Try it: Bet sizing against a capped range
Lessons that teach it: The shape of a betting range · lessons other than the free one need an invite
See also: Linear range, Equity distribution, Bet sizing, Bluff