The Ultimate GTO Poker Guide: From Basics to Brilliance

You don’t know your opponent’s exact cards when you play poker. It is a game where you must decide based on incomplete information.

GTO poker provides a blueprint for playing almost perfectly by making mathematically sound decisions.

The concept may seem overwhelming for beginners. However, you don’t need to master every tiny detail right away.

Understanding the basics, like balancing your bluffs and value bets or knowing when to call vs. fold, is enough.

Are you ready to level up your game?

Let’s start by understanding the fundamentals.

What is GTO in Poker?

GTO stands for Game Theory Optimal. It is a strategy for playing poker perfectly without making any mistakes.

This mathematical approach ensures your opponents cannot exploit you. The idea is to balance your moves – betting, checking, folding – to prevent opponents from predicting or taking advantage of your moves.

Imagine GTO as playing chess but with probabilities. You don’t react to your opponent’s moves; instead, you use a plan that works in the long run.

Your moves are never influenced by how your opponents play.

GTO doesn’t guarantee you will win every hand. Instead, it aims to maximise profits and minimise losses over time.

The key features of GTO poker are:

• Balanced strategy: The idea is to mix up your moves. Sometimes, you bluff with a weak hand while you play it safe at other times.
• Focus on equity: You try to understand your hand’s value or equity compared to your opponent’s possible range of hands.
• Long-term approach: GTO ensures your overall strategy is profitable over hundreds or thousands of hands.

Demystifying GTO Poker Strategy

A GTO strategy focuses on making optimal decisions. Most people use online solvers to study and implement GTO strategies.

These tools calculate the best plays for specific situations based on ranges, board textures, and bet sizes. Board textures indicate how the community cards may interact with particular hand ranges.

The solver results allow players to learn the ideal frequencies for various actions, like when to bet or fold.

For example, a solver may suggest you bluff 25% of the time in a given position and value bet 75%. For another position, it may mean calling 40% of the time, folding 30%, and raising 15%.

You will need a solver to implement GTO strategies. However, you can improve your game by understanding the underlying concepts and nuances.

Principles of GTO Poker Strategy

The key principles to be aware of are:

Balanced Approach

Your betting range should include a balanced proportion of strong hands (value bets) and weaker hands (bluff).

For example, if you’re betting with 2 strong hands, you should bluff with 1 weak hand. Such a ratio keeps your opponents guessing and prevents them from reading your strategy.

Range-Based Thinking

GTO encourages you to stop focusing on your specific hand and think about your entire range of possible hands in a given situation.

For example, you consider all the hands you could logically have when betting on a certain flop. Then, you decide which ones to bet or check with.

Frequencies

We have already discussed the importance of frequencies in keeping your strategy balanced and unpredictable. In this regard, you must be aware of minimum defence frequency (MDF).

MDF is the minimum percentage of hands in your position that you must continue with to maintain unpredictability.

The formula for MDF is pot size / (pot size + bet size). 

For example, if your bet size is 100% of the pot, the MDF is around 50%. Consequently, if your bet size is 50% of the pot, the MDF is approximately 67%.

It is important to remember that implementing MDF in an actual game is very challenging. However, MDF is a great resource for understanding and learning GTO poker away from the table.

Principle of Indifference

GTO ensures your opponents are indifferent to your decisions. For instance, if you bluff correctly, they cannot profit by always calling or folding.

The principle of indifference forces your opponents to make mistakes, even when you’re not looking to exploit them.

Optimal Bet Sizes

GTO uses precise bet sizing to maximise pressure on opponents. For example, you can bet small on certain boards to force your opponents to fold frequently.

Consequently, you can bet large amounts to increase the pressure if you hold strong hands.

Board Textures

You should adjust your GTO strategy based on the community cards. You should bet with a wider range on dry boards (where cards don’t have any coordination).

Example of dry board – ♠K, 🔸7, ♣2. 

On wet boards (consisting of connected cards), narrow your betting range to avoid getting exploited.

Example of wet board – ♠J, 🔸10, ♣9. 

A GTO strategy should focus on balance, precision, and long-term profitability. It keeps you one step ahead, no matter who sits across the table.

How to Play GTO Poker

Most players use online tools to play GTO poker. Below is how you should approach the task step-by-step:

Understand Your Opponent’s Range

A range represents all your opponent’s possible hands based on their play.

For example, if they raise preflop, their range likely includes strong hands like AA, AK, and QQ. Additionally, they are likely to have fewer weaker hands, such as 72 offsuits.

Always try to make decisions based on ranges and not individual hands.

Balance Your Range

To play GTO poker, your range must include a healthy mix of actions. Take advantage of strong hands you’re confident betting with.

Additionally, play a few weak hands aggressively to keep opponents guessing.

Example: If you’re betting on a flop with a top pair (value), you might include a few gutshot straight draws (bluffs) in your range.

Use the Right Frequencies

Be sure to balance your actions (bet, raise, call, fold) at specific frequencies. You can learn from MDF and use a solver to make accurate decisions.

Correct frequencies ensure your opponents cannot predict your moves or counter-strategies.

Be Aggressive Wisely

GTO encourages you to play aggressively, especially in position.

• Use continuation bets (C-bets) after raising preflop to maintain pressure.
• Incorporate well-timed bluffs to keep your range unpredictable.

Defend Against Aggression

Do not fold too often to prevent opponents from exploiting you. This strategy also ensures that you are not overly predictable.

Example: If an opponent bets, defend with range, including strong hands and weaker hands that have the potential to improve.

Pay Attention to Bet Sizing

Optimal bet sizes are crucial to GTO. Use smaller bets on dry boards since fewer draws are possible.

Consequently, larger bets should be used on wet boards due to the possibility of many draws.

Practice with Solvers

Sign up for any poker solver online and begin your learning journey. These tools also help you analyse specific situations and understand the best plays and frequencies.

Additionally, regular practice with solvers improves your decision-making during live games.

Adjust for Real-World Play

Not all players follow GTO in real games. Your opponents may make mistakes or have exploitative tendencies.

Therefore, adjust your strategy when you notice signs of weakness in your opponents. In reality, most players use a mix of GTO and exploit opponents’ weaknesses.

Here are a few tips to help you out:

• Focus on preflop ranges first. They are the foundation of GTO poker.
• Simplify your strategy rather than trying to achieve perfect balance. Work on consistent, small improvements.
• Practise frequently in online games or simulators to develop your skills.

Also read: How to Play Poker?

Difference Between GTO Poker and Exploitative Poker

Exploitative poker is a strategy where you adjust your play to take advantage of your opponent’s tendencies and weaknesses. Unlike GTO, it focuses on observation and adaptation.

Below are the primary differences between the two strategies.

GTO Poker: Tournaments

GTO principles can be a game-changer in poker tournaments, even though they’re associated with cash games. They can work well for high stakes and opponents with varying skills.

Here’s how you can adapt GTO poker for tournaments:

Adjust for ICM

Tournaments are assigned by ICM or independent chip model. This model assigns a monetary value to the chip stack based on the prize structure.

Adjust your aggression and defence based on your stack size and position relative to payouts. For example, a chip leader near the bubble might call for more cautious play to avoid risking your stack unnecessarily.

Short Stacks and GTO Shoving Ranges

In tournaments, you’ll often face situations with short stacks where shoving (going all-in) is the best option.

GTO strategy provides optimal shoving and calling ranges. It ensures you maximise fold equity while minimising the risk of elimination.

For example, a solver might suggest shoving suited connectors like 🔸7, 🔸6 in the late position but folding from early position.

Blind Levels and Stack Depth

Tournament play involves varying stack depths due to increasing blinds and antes.

• Deep stacks: GTO strategies focus on balanced play. They provide more room for creative post-flop decisions.
• Short stacks: The strategy shifts to preflop optimisations and focuses on shoves, folds, and occasionally limping.

Dealing with Varied Opponents

In tournaments, a mix of recreational players and seasoned pros play. GTO provides a solid baseline that works well against unknown or skilled opponents.

For weak players, you can selectively deviate from GTO poker to exploit their mistakes. However, your goal should be to maintain a balanced strategy.

Pressure Points in Tournaments

Tournament dynamics often lead to natural pressure points, such as bubble play and final table scenarios. GTO can help you navigate these situations by offering unexploitable strategies.

• Bubble play: You may open a slightly tighter range to avoid unnecessary risks but maintain a balanced bluff-to-value ratio.
• Final table: The focus shifts to ICM-aware strategies. Preserving chips is more critical than accumulating them.

Bluffing and GTO

Bluffing is a part of GTO tournament strategies. However, you must adjust bluffs based on stack sizes and tournament phases.

• Early stages: Bluffing frequencies are similar to cash games as stacks are deeper.
• Later stages: Bluffing might decrease due to increased ICM pressure and the value of survival.

GTO provides a strong foundation for tournaments. However, you must be flexible and capitalise on opportunities during the game.

Also see: Bluff Game Rules

Benefits of Using GTO Poker

We have learned that GTO makes it difficult for your opponents to exploit you and improves long-term profitability. It focuses on range-based thinking to help you make better, more informed decisions.

That results in a plethora of GTO poker benefits:

A Strong Baseline Strategy

GTO is an excellent foundational approach. It works against any player, whether tight, aggressive, or unpredictable.

Sticking to GTO ensures you’re playing an effective, low-risk strategy. It doesn’t matter if you lack information about your opponents.

Most importantly, concepts like bet sizing and calculating frequencies are a foundation for advanced strategies. You can master GTO basics and incorporate exploitative play while maintaining an unexploitable core.

Outsmart Skilled Opponents

Exploitative strategies can backfire against strong, experienced players if they counter-adjust. GTO poker is valuable in such situations to create a plan that skilled players struggle to counter.

Additionally, it minimises your weaknesses so that others cannot take advantage.

Enhance Post-Flop Decision-Making

GTO principles make you more capable of navigating complex post-flop scenarios. It offers guidance on bet sizes, frequencies, and adjustments based on board textures.

The precise guidance is helpful in deep-stacked situations or pots shared by multiple players.

Minimise Risk in High-Stake Games

GTO poker can be a safeguard in high-stakes or highly competitive environments. By following a sound strategy, you can minimise your losses against top-tier players.

You can also avoid over-aggression or unnecessary risks by playing consistently and reliably.

Stay Relevant

Poker games evolve constantly. Players become more skilled and analytical, making every round more challenging.

GTO ensures your strategy remains relevant and effective. It improves your probability of success even when opponents use advanced tricks or tools like solvers.

Eliminate Guesswork

Traditionally, poker players find themselves in a loop, guessing their opponents’ hands and what they think of their hands. This creates a pattern of circular thinking and overthinking as they try to outsmart their opponents.

GTO prevents you from second-guessing or spiralling into “if they know, I know” logic. It provides a clear and balanced framework to avoid making any assumptions.

Avoid Emotional Bias

GTO poker is rooted in mathematical principles. It helps you approach the game analytically without emotional bias to avoid poor outcomes.

In other words, you learn to view the game more objectively. This is a valuable tool, especially during losing streaks, when emotional decision-making is more common.

Improve Your Bluffing

GTO provides precise frequencies for bluffs. It helps you improve your bluffing game without overdoing it.

Balanced bluffing ensures your opponents cannot profitably call or fold every time you make a move.

GTO Poker Examples

To understand how GTO works, we will explore four example bluff-to-value bet scenarios with specific positions, bet sizes, and pot sizes.

Scenario 1: Bluff 25%, Value Bet 75% (Dry Board)

• Position: Button
• Board: ♠10, ♣7, 🔸4, 🧡2
• Pot size: ₹100
• Bet size: ₹50

Bluff-to-value Ratio: For every 3 value bets, include 1 bluff (3:1 ratio).

Expected Outcomes:

When bluffing (₹50 bet):

• If your opponent always folds, you win the ₹100 pot.
• If your opponent always calls, you lose ₹50.
• Bluff EV = (25% bluff frequency × -₹50) + (75% value frequency × ₹50)
• Bluff EV = -₹12.50 + ₹37.50 = +₹25 profit.

Why This Works:

The balance ensures you profit from value bets if your opponent calls too often. If they fold too much, you profit from bluffs. Your strategy becomes unexploitable.

Scenario 2: Bluff 33%, Value Bet 67% (Wet Board)

• Position: Button
• Board 🔸10, ♠9, ♣8, 🧡2
• Pot size: ₹100
• Bet size: ₹50

Bluff-to-value Ratio: For every 2 value bets, include 1 bluff (2:1 ratio).

Expected Outcomes:

If your opponent always calls:

• You win ₹200 (67% of the time) and lose ₹50 (33% of the time).
• EV = (67% × ₹200) – (33% × ₹50)
• EV = ₹134 – ₹16.50 = +₹117.50 profit.

If your opponent always folds:

• You win ₹100 with every bluff, or ₹33 (33% of the time).
• EV = ₹33 profit.

Why This Works:

This ratio is ideal for wet boards where opponents may chase draws. The profit remains consistent regardless of whether they call or fold.

Scenario 3: Bluff 20%, Value Bet 80% (River Polarisation)

• Position: Button
• Board: ♠10, ♣7, 🔸4, 🧡2
• Pot size: ₹100
• Bet size: ₹50

Bluff-to-value Ratio: For every 4 value bets, include 1 bluff (4:1 ratio).

Expected Outcomes:

If your opponent always calls:

• You win ₹200 (80% of the time) and lose ₹50 (20% of the time).
• EV = (80% × ₹200) – (20% × ₹50)
• EV =₹160 – ₹10 = +₹150 profit.

If your opponent always folds:

• You win ₹100 with every bluff.

Why This Works:

Polarisation forces opponents to decide between calling or folding with little information. GTO-balanced ranges enable you to profit either way.

Scenario 4: Bluff 50%, Value Bet 50% (Wide Range, Small Bet)

• Position: Button
• Board: 🔸A, ♠10, 🧡3
• Pot size: ₹100
• Bet size: ₹25

Bluff-to-value Ratio: Equal ratio (1:1), optimal for small bets.

Expected Outcomes:

If your opponent always calls:

• You win ₹50 (50% of the time) and lose ₹25 (50% of the time).
• EV = (50% × ₹50) – (50% × ₹25)
• EV = ₹25 – ₹12.50 = +₹12.50 profit.

If your opponent always folds:

• You win ₹25 with every bluff.

Why This Works:

This ratio works for situations where small bets signal a wider range. It ensures profitability regardless of your opponent’s reaction.

Become Unexploitable in Poker

GTO poker is an excellent way to minimise mistakes and make the right moves. It doesn’t matter how your opponents play or the strategies they use. You can improve the probability of successful plays in the long run and become a pro player.

However, you must adapt GTO strategies to real-life conditions and your opponents. A good approach is to mix GTO with exploitative play to make you unbeaten.

Start learning the principles of GTO poker and practice hard to master your skills.

GTO Poker FAQs

1. Is GTO poker worth learning?

GTO is crucial when playing against experienced players. It makes you less exploitable and uses mathematical formulas to help you make fewer mistakes and the right moves.

2. Is position important in GTO poker?

Position impacts GTO strategy by influencing the information available to players for improved decision-making. A position closer to the dealer button means you act after your opponents, which provides you with a significant advantage.

3. Can you beat a GTO strategy?

A GTO strategy may fail to work in the short term. However, it will always be effective and help you play successfully in the long run, regardless of your opponent’s skills or moves.

4. Can you play poker without GTO?

GTO is a great tool to create a solid poker strategy. However, it does not mean you must always play like a solver. You can incorporate GTO strategies with exploitative play or custom strategies to play poker.

5. What is a GTO solver?

A GTO solver is essentially an algorithm that helps you calculate the most effective poker strategy.