Poker preflop charts are visual guides that show you which hands to play from every position at the table. They take the guesswork out of your most frequent decision in poker: should I play this hand or fold it?

Every hand of poker starts with the same question. A preflop chart gives you the answer before you even have to think about it. The chart tells you whether to raise, call, or fold based on your position (where you’re sitting relative to the button), your stack depth (how many big blinds you have), and the action in front of you (has someone already raised, 3-bet, or gone all-in?).

Modern preflop charts are generated by poker solvers — software that calculates the mathematically optimal strategy (known as GTO, or Game Theory Optimal) through billions of simulated hands. The resulting ranges represent the strategy that cannot be exploited by any opponent, regardless of how they play.

BBZ’s preflop charts cover over 900 unique scenarios across MTT, Cash, ICM, PKO, Hyper 6-Max, and Spin & Go formats. Each chart is a solver-approved range that tells you exactly which hands to open, call, 3-bet, or fold in that specific situation.

Step 1: Pick your format. Are you playing MTTs? Cash games? PKOs? ICM spots? Start with the chart package that matches your primary game type. If you play multiple formats, the Complete Package covers everything.

Step 2: Find your scenario. Select your position (UTG, HJ, CO, BTN, SB, BB), your stack depth, and the action you’re facing. The chart shows you every hand in the deck color-coded by recommended action: raise, call, fold, or mixed strategy.

Step 3: Study the ranges, then train them. Looking at a chart teaches you what the correct play is. But memorizing ranges requires practice. That’s why every BBZ chart subscription includes the interactive GTO Trainer at no extra cost. Pick any scenario — position, stack depth, action facing — and the trainer tests your range knowledge in real time. Get instant feedback on every decision: did you correctly raise, fold, or call? Track your accuracy over time and watch your preflop game sharpen. It’s the difference between reading a chart and actually knowing your ranges at the table.

Step 4: Review and adjust. Once you know what optimal looks like, you can start making informed deviations. If your opponents are too tight, you can open wider. If they’re too aggressive, you can tighten your 3-bet calling range. The charts give you the baseline; your reads give you the edge.

Here’s what GTO opening ranges look like at a typical MTT  table with a 40bb effective stack:

These percentages shift dramatically based on stack depth. At 15bb, your UTG range tightens and becomes much more push-or-fold. At 100bb, it widens with more 3-bet/call possibilities. BBZ’s charts cover every stack depth from 5bb to 100bb so you always know the correct range.

The most common objection: “I’ve been playing poker for years without charts. Why start now?”

The answer is that preflop is the most frequent decision in poker and the one where small errors compound the fastest. If you’re opening 3% too wide from UTG, you’re putting money into pots with dominated hands hundreds of times per session. If you’re defending your big blind 5% too tight, you’re giving up equity on every orbit.

Solvers have shown us that the gap between ‘good instincts’ and actual optimal play is larger than most players realize. Even professional players use preflop charts as a study baseline. The goal isn’t to play robotically — it’s to know what optimal looks like so your deviations are intentional, not accidental.

BBZ’s coaching team has staked over $100 million in tournament poker. The preflop ranges in these charts are the same ranges our backed players use at the tables. When you subscribe, you’re getting the exact same strategic foundation as players in one of the world’s largest tournament staking operations.