If you've ever searched for "GTO preflop chart PDF" to improve your opening ranges, you already know how valuable a concise, solver-backed chart can be. In this guide I'll walk you through what a GTO preflop chart PDF is, how to read it, and — most importantly — how to use it at the tables so theory becomes practical profit. Along the way I’ll share lessons learned from coaching players and from hours spent analyzing solver outputs; these are real-game adjustments you won’t always find printed in a static file.
What exactly is a GTO preflop chart PDF?
A GTO preflop chart PDF is a portable, printable representation of game-theory-optimal preflop strategies for poker — usually for no-limit hold’em. It condenses solver outputs into ranges for actions like open-raising, three-betting, defending, and folding across different positions and stack depths. The PDF format makes it easy to study away from the software, to annotate, or to print as a quick reference during study sessions.
Because solvers produce enormous matrices of decisions, the PDF is a simplified map. It sacrifices some nuance for clarity, but it gives a strong baseline: how often you should raise with a given hand from a certain seat, or how wide you should defend the big blind to remain unexploitable.
Why use a GTO preflop chart PDF instead of memorizing hands?
Memorizing specific hands can be misleading. A chart teaches ranges and tendencies — the percentages and logic behind each action — which allow you to adapt when opponents deviate. For example, a chart will show you that in a cutoff vs. blinds scenario you should open with roughly a particular range rather than listing 20 fixed combos. Understanding ranges prevents rigid play and improves your ability to counter opponents who make straightforward mistakes.
How to read a typical chart
Most charts use a grid or a color-coded matrix with pocket pairs, suited and offsuit hands. Key elements to learn:
- Positions: UTG, Middle, Cutoff, Button, Small Blind, Big Blind.
- Actions: Fold, Open-Raise, 3-Bet, Defend/Call, 4-Bet. Percentages indicate frequency for mixed strategies.
- Stack depth labels: Charts often present different ranges for shallow, medium, and deep stacks (e.g., 20bb vs 100bb). Always match the chart to your stack depth.
- Color codes: Green might be a pure raise, orange mixed frequency, gray fold — check the legend.
When you see "raise 70%" next to AJo, it means that in the solver equilibrium you should raise that hand 70% of the time and take another action the remainder. That mixed-strategy nuance is critical to avoiding being exploited by astute opponents.
Common chart formats and what they emphasize
Not every GTO preflop chart PDF is built for the same purpose:
- Beginner-friendly charts focus on pure strategies — raise or fold — which are easier to memorize and use in low-stakes play.
- Advanced charts include mixed frequencies and adjustments for 3-bet sizes, stack depths, and ranges vs. specific opening ranges.
- ICM-aware charts (tournament-focused) will alter preflop decisions near pay jumps and bubble spots.
Choose the chart that matches your format. A cash-game, deep-stack GTO chart differs meaningfully from a short-stack tournament chart.
Putting the chart to use: practical table examples
Example 1 — Cash-game opening ranges: You’re in the cutoff with 100bb and the table is passive. A standard GTO preflop chart PDF will show you a wide open range: suited connectors, many broadways, and mid pairs. That range balances bluffs and value to make later decisions easier.
Example 2 — Facing a 3-bet from the button: If you defend too narrowly, you become predictable; too wide and you’re losing EV. A solver-based chart helps you defend with hands that perform well postflop, like suited aces and hands with connectivity.
From personal coaching sessions, a single insight that moves players forward is this: focus on the logic behind ranges. When I explain why KTs is favored to call in a particular spot — because it hits favorable boards and makes blockers to strong holdings — students internalize the why instead of mindlessly following a list of hands.
Adjustments: When to deviate from the PDF
GTO is a baseline, not a rigid rulebook. Deviations are necessary when opponents are off-balance:
- Exploitative adjustments: If an opponent never 3-bets light, tighten your 4-betting range for value and stop folding premium hands to aggression.
- Population tendencies: In many live and recreational online games, players call too wide and fold too often to 3-bets; widen value 3-bet and tighten bluffs accordingly.
- Stack dynamics: Shorter stacks dramatically shift optimal actions; use a chart tailored to effective stack size.
As a rule: start from the GTO preflop chart PDF baseline, then apply simple exploitative changes supported by observed frequencies and table history.
How to build or customize your own PDF
If you use solvers like PIOsolver, GTO+, or similar tools, you can export direct ranges and then format them into a PDF with annotations. Steps I recommend:
- Run your solver for the exact blind, stack, and size parameters you face most often.
- Export range matrices and convert them into an image or table with clear legends.
- Annotate common deviations and a short rationale — this makes the PDF a living study tool, not just a static reference.
Creating your own PDF forces you to understand the decisions behind the ranges, which is where real growth happens.
Where to get reputable GTO preflop chart PDF files
High-quality charts often come from solver exports, reputable coaching sites, or community-shared packs from experienced coaches. If you’re looking for an accessible place to start, here’s a resource link you can use: keywords. Use such resources as a springboard, then validate any chart by comparing it to a solver output for your exact game conditions.
Mistakes I see players make with charts
1) Blindly following a chart without context. Charts assume specific opponent tendencies and stack sizes; when those differ, blindly following the chart can cost you.
2) Overcomplicating ranges at lower stakes. At micro-stakes, a simplified GTO preflop chart PDF with pure strategies will outperform a messy attempt at perfect frequencies.
3) Neglecting postflop skills. The best preflop plan still requires postflop competence. If you can’t execute the necessary checks, bets, and folds after the flop, widen your preflop ranges toward hands that simplify postflop decisions.
Practice drills to internalize the chart
Practice is how a printed chart becomes intuition. Try these drills:
- Daily warm-up: Spend 10 minutes reviewing one position’s ranges. Say them out loud or quiz yourself on 10 random hands.
- Hand categorization: For 50 hands, label whether they are value-raise, bluff-raise, defend-only, or fold-only in a specific spot.
- Solver spot-check: Run 5 common spots in your solver and compare to your PDF; note discrepancies and understand why they exist.
These short, focused sessions are more effective than passive reading.
Advanced considerations: frequencies, blockers, and mixed strategies
As you progress, pay attention to mixed strategies and blockers. Mixed-frequency plays are used to avoid predictability; blockers influence bluffing frequency and sizing. For example, holding the ace of spades can reduce the likelihood an opponent has nut draws, making certain bluffs more profitable. A detailed GTO preflop chart PDF will incorporate these ideas through percentage ranges, but you should also practice visualizing blocker effects in critical spots.
Final thoughts and next steps
Using a GTO preflop chart PDF effectively is about balancing theory with real-game adjustments. Start by choosing a chart that matches your format and stack depths, internalize its logic through regular drills, and then learn to adjust exploitatively based on table dynamics. Over time you’ll notice your ranges becoming more balanced, your postflop decisions clearer, and your opponents making more mistakes against you.
If you want a quick starting reference to complement your solver work, check a reputable resource here: keywords. Use it as a study companion — export solver outputs for your specific games when possible, annotate those PDFs, and turn study into consistent practice.
Good poker study is iterative: learn, apply, review, and repeat. Treat your GTO preflop chart PDF as a foundation — not a ceiling — and your decisions at the table will steadily improve.
