Why 4 : 12 matters
Offsuit hands are three times as common as suited ones. Ranges are built on that fact.
5 minute read
Ace-king suited has 4 combinations; ace-king offsuit has 12. So when an opponent 'has ace-king', it is offsuit three times out of four. This ratio runs through every piece of range analysis and every blocker calculation.
- A raise-first range of 'all pairs, AK, AQ' is 78 + 16 + 16 = 110 combinations, and 96 of those are pairs.
- If you hold an ace, an opponent's pocket aces drop from 6 combinations to 3 — you block half of them.
- If you hold an ace, their ace-king drops from 16 to 12.
Card removal is not a strategy opinion; it is arithmetic on combinations, and the engine applies it every time you give it a range.
Quick check
You hold K♠ K♥. How many combinations of pocket kings can an opponent hold?
Show answer
One (K♦ K♣).