With PokerStars’ iconic Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) just around the corner, poker players can get set for greatness and start strong with the SCOOP Warm Up series, which runs February 1-16 and guarantees over $10 million in prizes.

With 69 events across high and low tiers inspired by SCOOP events and formats, and buy-ins ranging from just $2.20 to $5,200, SCOOP Warm Up offers newcomers and seasoned pros the perfect opportunity to fine-tune their skills and build momentum ahead of the prestigious SCOOP series taking place this year from March 1-25.

Among the SCOOP Warm Up schedule highlights are two thrilling Main Events and an exciting lineup of Sunday action:

• $109 Sunday Special (PKO), $500,000 guaranteed, February 1
• $75 Sunday Special, $400,000 guaranteed, February 8
• $22 Mystery Sunday Special, $250,000 guaranteed, February 8
• $109 Main Event Low, $1 million guaranteed, February 15
• $1,050 Main Event High, $300,000 guaranteed, February 15

Poker players can also crank up their Warm Up game with daily challenges and claim their spot in the Main Event through the SCOOP Warm Up Ticket Machine raffle, which runs February 1 -12 and awards $200,000 in coveted SCOOP Warm Up Main Event tickets.

For a chance to scoop a ticket, players can opt in via their challenges window from February 1 and complete up to three daily challenges by playing SCOOP Warm Up tournaments:

• Play in at least one event to secure the first raffle entry
• Play in at least two events to earn the second raffle entry
• Knock out at least two players in SCOOP Warm Up events to get a third raffle entry

To find out more about SCOOP Warm Up, please visit the PokerStars website or the PokerStars Blog.

“Capped range” is a poker phrase you will hear all the time, yet it often gets explained in a way that feels abstract. The good news is you do not need math or complex charts to use it. You just need a clear definition and a repeatable way to test whether the strongest hands still make sense.

In this guide, you will learn what capped range means in plain English, three common situations where ranges cap, and a fast checklist you can run while playing.

A Simple Filtering Analogy Before the Hand Examples

Capped range talk gets confusing when it stays in the abstract. Before we jump into the common spots, it helps to ground the idea in something your brain already understands: filtering. In poker, you start with many possible hands, but each time a card is revealed, it removes possible options until only a smaller, more realistic set of hands remains. Understanding this is the basic concept behind capped ranges. You are not trying to be psychic; you are trying to be consistent.

If you want to see how this capped range approach works in actual games, it can help to check out an online casino real money website and explore it for yourself. Most online casinos offer both real money versions of their games and demo versions where you can just practice and get to grips with the basic concepts. Technically, there’s no reason you couldn’t explore the idea of capped ranges for yourself using nothing but a deck of cards, but if you’re new to the game and trying to grasp a new concept, it can help to have a computer deal the cards and handle the rules for you. This frees you up to focus on the aspect of the game you are trying to learn.

Plus, playing against human opponents, especially if they are weaker than you, is a great way to hone your skills and test whether you truly understand a concept. It’s one thing to get the general idea behind capped ranges, but if you can’t actually apply that idea in a real poker game, then you don’t truly understand it.

Correctly identifying a capped range is one of the best feelings in poker, and once you get the hang of it, it can add a lot to your enjoyment of the game, not to mention make you a better poker player overall.

Capped Range Meaning in Plain English

A range is the set of hands someone can plausibly have after the actions so far. A range is capped when it is missing the strongest hands it could have had on that board and runout.

Most caps come from line logic. If the best hands would often bet big or raise earlier, then a passive line is less likely to contain them. Capped does not mean weak. It means the ceiling is lower, so the story a player can credibly represent has limits.

The 30-Second Range Check

Run this check every time you suspect a range has been capped.

1. List the strongest value hands possible right now.
2. Ask which of those hands would often apply pressure earlier.
3. Cross out what does not fit the line.
4. Play against what remains.

Use this table to stay logical, and adjust the way you play based on the evidence you observe.

Three Common Spots Where Ranges Cap

1. Preflop flat call versus a 3 bet

In many pools, the very strongest hands are more likely to 4 bet, especially in position. A flat call can still be strong, but the top end is often less common than it would be after a re-raise.

2. In position, check back on a coordinated flop

On boards that can change a lot, many players bet their strongest hands to build the pot and deny free cards. A check back can cap the range toward medium made hands and controlled draws, depending on the player.

3. River call after a passive line

If someone has checked and called through earlier streets, then calls the river, their range often contains many bluff catchers and fewer nut hands than a raise line would. Do not assume weakness, just recognize the ceiling.

Common Misreads and Fixes

Do not treat capped as safe. A capped range can still include strong hands; it is simply less able to contain the very top. It helps to list the remaining hands that seem unlikely, and consider which hands are still plausible.

Also, remember the board evolves. Rerun your assessment on each street, make sure you’re taking all the new information into account, and don’t make decisions based on an emotional response.

When you can spot a capped range quickly, you will feel more in control of the game. You are not guessing, you are filtering.