Poker Q&A: Freerolls, Ranges, and Side Pots Explained

1. Calculating Win Probability Without Seeing Opponent’s Cards

Amir from Romania asks:

Amir from Romania

“Is it possible to calculate the probability of winning without knowing the opponent’s hands?”

Yes — that’s exactly what poker calculators do.

When you don’t know your opponent’s cards, you use a range — the set of hands they could have based on their action.

Watch how they play:

• Lots of pots? Their range is wide and full of weaker hands.

• Tight and aggressive? Their range is tight and strong.

Adjust their range and see how your hand performs. Plug the ranges into a tool like Flopzilla, and you’ll get your equity — your chance to win the pot.

Learning to think in ranges is a big step toward playing like a regular.

2. Can I Play Poker From My State?

I get this one all the time.

To save you time (and my inbox), we built an interactive US poker legality map:

Pick your state and see exactly what’s allowed and which rooms are legal.

Most states don’t have licensed poker rooms yet, but you’ll find sweepstakes poker options. Curious what that means? Here’s our full guide!

3. Side Pots Made Simple

Lou from Miami asks:

“Big blind is 10. Small blind folds. One player bets 10. Two players go all-in, one for 6 and the other for 8. How is the pot split if the 6 and 8 end up splitting the pot?”

Let’s break it down:

• Main pot: 6 chips from each player = 18 total.

• Side pot: Player A has 4 left, Player C has 2 left → match 2 each = 4 total.

• The last 2 chips from Player A are unmatched → returned to A.

If B and C split the main pot, they each take 9.

Then we resolve the side pot (A vs C only). If A loses, C takes those 4 chips.

Stacks after the hand: A = 2, B = 9, C = 13.

Want to check tricky spots like this fast? Try our Side Pot Calculator.

4. When the Board Plays

Gokul from Saudi Arabia asks:

“Pair of Ace and King Ace with straight eight high — why split the pot?”

This is where our Which Poker Hand Wins Calculator comes in handy.

Here the best hand is the straight from 4 to 8 that’s already on the board.

In Texas Hold’em, players always make the best five-card hand available. Since neither player’s hole cards improve that straight, the final hand is made entirely from the board — so they split the pot.

It’s rare, but it happens — and now you know why.

5. Learning Poker with Calculators

From Ludvika, Sweden:

“Is it possible to learn poker by using this calculator tool and studying what works?”

Calculators are great learning aids, but they’re just one part of the process.

Start with simple tools like the Which Poker Hand Wins Calculator to get a feel for hand strengths. As you improve, move on to range calculators, and eventually GTO solvers if you want to go deep.

For beginners, though, the best way to learn is still training videos, free articles, and reviewing hands with friends or coaches.

And no matter what level you’re at, keep working on your poker mindset — tilt costs players money at every stake.

Good luck at the tables!