Polarised and depolarised ranges

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vinylspiros

vinylspiros

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I was trying to get a better understanding of ranges and poker lingo.

So we say our range is polarized when we are representing a very strong hand or total air, right?


Then we have a depolarized range. which means some great hands and then some medium strength hands.??

When is a range depolarized? (example would be nice)


Then we have merged which is what exactly.???


Ive heard people saying i 3bet flop to polarize my range or something like that. Does everyone know exactly what each /all of the above mean?


Cause they are not too clear in my head and would like some feedback from anyone here that knows what they mean and an example of when we use these terms and how.



I obviously googled some of these terms and got some info but feel like a thread would help me grasp the concept better.


thnks guys.🙂
 
Its like, where i live nobody uses these terms so i don't fully get them. Hear them around the forum here and there and am always thinking,," WTF" are they talking about. 😕


EDIT: I am such a donk so please help me find answers to my questions.
 
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I think polarized range is if you only play a limited amount of cards, like if you only play j's or better then you would have a polarized range, but im no expert on this subject. Would like to hear more.
 
So like, im purely guessing here, If we wanted to depolarize our range ,would we do it by increasing our vpip and pfr or is this term related to while in a hand.?(post flop)


I must sound like an APE.:slug::slug::slug:
 
vinylspiros said:
So like, im purely guessing here, If we wanted to depolarize our range ,would we do it by increasing our vpip and pfr or is this term related to while in a hand.?(post flop)

.


I must sound like an APE.:slug::slug::slug:
Click to expand...

I'm thinking it would be increasing your starting hand range pre flop
 
A polarized range for example, is like betting the river with only the nuts and near nuts, or bluffing. Since many players assume that a river bet is the nuts or a bluff, a depolarized range (betting more marginal hands) allows to exploit their tendencies.
 
found this, hope it helps

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When to use a low-value range

There is no time when an exclusively low value range is optimal. The purpose of including low value hands in a range is to extract additional value from high value hands, or to play more hands in general against opponents that fold too often. In the first case, you need high value hands in your range to make the strategy work. In the second, there is no reason to limit yourself to low value hands.

When to use a high-value range

Against loose-passive opponents, who will play most hands and take them to the river, you will want to play high-value hands. Since these players can't be bluffed, you need hands that can get to showdown and win. Your "high value" range can expand to include some medium hands depending on how light opponents will call down (if they call down with any pair, hands that make second pair can be played profitably), but it will not include low value hands.

This is the best strategy against a level 0 player.

When to use a polarized range

As your opponents become more able to fold hands in certain situations, it becomes profitable to start adding bluffs to your range. When adding bluffs to a range, it is best to start with hands that have little-to-no showdown value - the 72o-type hands. There are a few spots this can be applied. A polarized range can be used when 3-betting in position pre-flop against a good opponent. A good opponent will not call with many hands out of position - they may have some high value hands in their calling range, but for the most part they will 4-bet or fold. In this situation, you will either want to get your money all-in, or fold. You go all-in with your high value hands, and fold the rest. So if you 3-bet with a hand like AJs, but have to fold to an all-in, that is a waste of a hand that can be profitably played in position. This is why we polarize our range - when we get 4-bet with 72o, and have to fold, we aren't losing value.

A similar place where a polarized range can be useful is a flop check-raising situation. When the board comes out K 8 4 rainbow, and you check-raise, you are representing a very strong range - mainly sets, possibly AK. To balance that range, you can add hands like small pocket pairs or missed suited connectors - these hands have little-to-no value against the range that your opponent will continue with.

This will be the best strategy against a level 1 or level 2 player.

When to use a merged range

A merged range comes into play when your opponent starts adjusting to your polarized range. On the previous flop of K 8 4, an opponent may start adjusting to your polarized raising range by calling down with second pair, or a pocket pair like 99 or 77. Suddenly, we can start raising hands like KJ and QQ for value. A merged range will put opponents to many more difficult decisions, which will likely lead to them making more mistakes.

This strategy will be best employed against higher level thinkers, where there are significant meta-game factors and constant adjustment of ranges as the match proceeds.
 
Thanks Alfie, Your a cool dude. I appreciate you going through the trouble to post the link and the first post as well.

Really helpful. So depolarizing our range means balancing it with some bluffs in order to not allow villain to easily understand where we are at correct?


I understand the strategy behind this of course, i am trying to clarify the linguistic part in my mind.



A merged range is a range where "statwise" villain can not really be sure as to whether we are bluffing or value 3 betting right?
 
Definition of a merged bet is where you want to make better fold but get called by worse
 
Depolarizing= top and middle of our range, or all of range, key is that range is continuous
Polarizing= top and bottom of our range, key is that range is discontinuous
 
duggs said:
Definition of a merged bet is where you want to make better fold but get called by worse
Click to expand...

I think i get it.

duggs said:
Depolarizing= top and middle of our range, or all of range, key is that range is continuous
Polarizing= top and bottom of our range, key is that range is discontinuous
Click to expand...



^^^^ what do you mean here?




Thnks duggs.
 
your welcome vinyl 😀

My understanding is that you want to depolarise your range v fish and polarise against level 1+2 thinkers...say tagish regs....and keep the merged ranges and balancing for higher stakes....
 
look up the definition, but it includes a range of hand strengths, ie you could do it with the top all the way through to some point.

draw line on a table with a pencil, this is your range, its continuous, rub out a part of it from the middle, it is now discontinuous.
 
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