CASH GAME PREFLOP RANGES
Cash Game Preflop Ranges for Consistent Study
Build a cash game preflop range plan around effective stacks, position, rake, open sizes, and the decisions that repeat most often.
Quick answer
Cash game preflop ranges are built for a specific table format, usually with a known stack depth and no tournament blind pressure. The baseline changes with rake, table size, position, open size, and whether players behind you are likely to 3-bet.
- Format
- Chips retain their cash value
- Core assumption
- Effective stack depth
- Important friction
- Rake affects marginal calls
- Study first
- Your most common positions
A cash-game chart is useful only when it matches the game you actually play. A 6-max 100bb baseline, a deep-stacked home game, and a short-handed high-rake table can produce different answers even before postflop strategy enters the picture.
Set the cash-game assumptions
Write down the table size, effective stack, blind level, open size, and rake environment before choosing a chart. Without those assumptions, 'cash-game range' is too broad to be a useful study target.
Start with the positions that generate the most hands for you. Opening, calling, 3-betting, and blind defense ranges are more valuable when they are practiced in the order they appear at your tables.
Why rake changes the margins
Rake can make small preflop edges less attractive, especially in pots that are likely to stay multiway or in games with a high effective rake. That is one reason a chart from a different site, limit, or format should not be copied without checking its assumptions.
Stack depth also changes how much implied value and postflop maneuvering a hand has. Keep shallow, standard, and deep-stack ranges as separate study sets instead of blending them into one vague memory.
- Choose one cash format before memorizing ranges
- Separate 6-max from full-ring assumptions
- Review marginal calls after accounting for rake
Build a repeatable cash-game routine
Use one range source as the baseline, test yourself on common positions, and keep a list of hands that cause hesitation. Once the core range is stable, add 3-bet pots, blind defense, and less frequent lines.
RePoker is built around that active-recall loop: short table decisions, immediate feedback, and FSRS reviews that bring weak spots back instead of treating every hand as equally familiar.
Frequently asked questions
Are cash game preflop ranges the same as tournament ranges?
No. Cash games and tournaments use different incentives, stack distributions, blind pressure, and often different ante or payout considerations. Keep the formats separate while studying.
What stack depth should I use for a cash-game chart?
Use the effective stack depth that matches the games you play most often. A common baseline can be useful, but it should be labeled clearly so you know when it no longer applies.
Why can rake make a cash-game call worse?
Rake removes part of the pot and can eliminate small edges, especially in marginal or multiway situations. The exact effect depends on the site, stakes, cap, and game structure.