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GTO Poker Basics, Range Charts, Odds Calculators and Poker Tools

Updated 30 October 2026 · 6 min read

Serious improvement in poker comes from studying. This guide introduces GTO, ranges and the tools that players use: odds calculators, equity calculators, hand simulators, solvers, hand history reviews and chip or blind calculators.

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What is GTO poker?

GTO means game theory optimal. A GTO strategy is balanced so that it cannot be exploited by any opponent: it mixes value bets and bluffs in the right proportions. Most players cannot play perfect GTO, but understanding the ideas helps: use balanced bet sizes, defend enough against bets and bluff at the right frequency.

Exploitative play is the opposite: you adjust to the weaknesses of the opponents in front of you. Strong players mix both.

Poker range charts

A range is all the hands a player could have in a given spot. A preflop range chart shows which hands to raise, call or fold from each position. Ranges are shown as a 13×13 grid: pairs on the diagonal, suited hands above, offsuit below. Start with simple ranges and expand them as you gain experience.

Odds calculator, equity calculator and simulator

An odds calculator or equity calculator shows how often your hand wins against a hand or a range. A hand simulator deals thousands of boards to estimate equity. A range calculator compares two ranges. Free versions exist online and in apps; use them to check what you learned, not to play at the table.

Solvers and trainers

A poker solver is software that calculates near-GTO strategies for specific situations. They need a powerful computer and time to learn. A poker training tool or poker odds trainer turns the same ideas into quizzes and drills that you can do on a phone.

Hand history and session review

The best habit is to review your own hands. Note the hands where you were unsure, check them with a calculator, and look for patterns in your mistakes. POKR BUDDY has a HANDS button at every table that shows the history of recent hands and your own player statistics (hands played, folds per street, raises and biggest pot).

Blind and chip calculators for home games

A blind calculator suggests how fast to raise blinds for a given tournament length; a stack calculator helps work out starting stacks. Read chip denominations and buy-ins.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a solver to improve at poker?

No. Solvers help advanced players, but beginners improve faster by learning position, pot odds and basic ranges.

Is there a free poker odds calculator?

Yes, many free equity calculators exist online; they are for study and review, not for use while a hand is in progress.