Answer  In a message board thread, David Sklansky and Victor Chubukov (Karlson) develop a method to rank the 169 possible starting hand based on heads up strength. The results were dubbed the “Sklansky-Karlson All In No Limit Holdem Rankings”, or SK hand rankings.

The SitNGo Wizard uses the SK hand rankings when referring to opponent hand ranges. For example, if you estimate an opponent’s calling range to be 20%, it means you predict he will call with any hand that is in the top 20% of the SK hand rankings.

Note that SK hand rankings are only used in determining opponent opening and calling ranges. The hand range computed in the analysis summary usually does not match the SK hand rankings. The ranking of hands in the computed range varies depending on game situations.

The table below lists the SK hand rankings and each hand’s hand range grouping.

Hand Hand Range % Description
AA 0.5 AA
KK 0.9 KK
AKs 1.2 KK,AKs
QQ 1.7 QQ,AKs
AK 2.6 QQ,AK
JJ 3.0 JJ,AK
AQs 3.3 JJ,AK,AQs
TT 3.8 TT,AK,AQs
AQ 4.7 TT,AQ
99 5.1 99,AQ
AJs 5.4 99,AQ,AJs
88 5.9 88,AQ,AJs
ATs 6.2 88,AQ,ATs
AJ 7.1 88,AJ,ATs
77 7.5 77,AJ,ATs
66 8.0 66,AJ,ATs
AT 8.9 66,AT
A9s 9.2 66,AT,A9s
55 9.7 55,AT,A9s
A8s 10.0 55,AT,A8s
KQs 10.3 55,AT,A8s,KQs
44 10.7 44,AT,A8s,KQs
A9 11.6 44,A9,A8s,KQs
A7s 11.9 44,A9,A7s,KQs
KJs 12.2 44,A9,A7s,KJs
A5s 12.5 44,A9,A5s,KJs
A8 13.4 44,A8,A5s,KJs
A6s 13.7 44,A8,A6s,KJs
A4s 14.0 44,A8,A4s,KJs
33 14.5 33,A8,A4s,KJs
KTs 14.8 33,A8,A4s,KTs
A7 15.7 33,A7,A4s,KTs
A3s 16.0 33,A7,A3s,KTs
KQ 16.9 33,A7,A3s,KQ,KTs
A2s 17.2 33,A7,A2s,KQ,KTs
A5 18.1 33,A5,A2s,KQ,KTs
A6 19.0 33,A6,A2s,KQ,KTs
A4 19.9 33,A4,A2s,KQ,KTs
KJ 20.8 33,A4,A2s,KJ,KTs
QJs 21.1 33,A4,A2s,KJ,KTs,QJs
A3 22.0 33,A3,A2s,KJ,KTs,QJs
22 22.5 22,A3,A2s,KJ,KTs,QJs
K9s 22.8 22,A3,A2s,KJ,K9s,QJs
A2 23.7 22,A2,KJ,K9s,QJs
KT 24.6 22,A2,KT,K9s,QJs
QTs 24.9 22,A2,KT,K9s,QTs
K8s 25.2 22,A2,KT,K8s,QTs
K7s 25.5 22,A2,KT,K7s,QTs
JTs 25.8 22,A2,KT,K7s,JTs
K9 26.7 22,A2,K9,K7s,JTs
K6s 27.0 22,A2,K9,K6s,JTs
QJ 27.9 22,A2,K9,K6s,QJ,JTs
Q9s 28.2 22,A2,K9,K6s,QJ,Q9s,JTs
K5s 28.5 22,A2,K9,K5s,QJ,Q9s,JTs
K8 29.4 22,A2,K8,K5s,QJ,Q9s,JTs
K4s 29.7 22,A2,K8,K4s,QJ,Q9s,JTs
QT 30.6 22,A2,K8,K4s,QT,Q9s,JTs
K7 31.5 22,A2,K7,K4s,QT,Q9s,JTs
K3s 31.8 22,A2,K7,K3s,QT,Q9s,JTs
K2s 32.1 22,A2,K7,K2s,QT,Q9s,JTs
Q8s 32.4 22,A2,K7,K2s,QT,Q8s,JTs
K6 33.3 22,A2,K6,K2s,QT,Q8s,JTs
J9s 33.6 22,A2,K6,K2s,QT,Q8s,J9s
K5 34.5 22,A2,K5,K2s,QT,Q8s,J9s
Q9 35.4 22,A2,K5,K2s,Q9,Q8s,J9s
JT 36.3 22,A2,K5,K2s,Q9,Q8s,JT,J9s
K4 37.3 22,A2,K4,K2s,Q9,Q8s,JT,J9s
Q7s 37.6 22,A2,K4,K2s,Q9,Q7s,JT,J9s
T9s 37.9 22,A2,K4,K2s,Q9,Q7s,JT,T9s
Q6s 38.2 22,A2,K4,K2s,Q9,Q6s,JT,T9s
K3 39.1 22,A2,K3,K2s,Q9,Q6s,JT,T9s
J8s 39.4 22,A2,K3,K2s,Q9,Q6s,JT,J8s,T9s
Q5s 39.7 22,A2,K3,K2s,Q9,Q5s,JT,J8s,T9s
K2 40.6 22,K2,Q9,Q5s,JT,J8s,T9s
Q8 41.5 22,K2,Q8,Q5s,JT,J8s,T9s
Q4s 41.8 22,K2,Q8,Q4s,JT,J8s,T9s
J9 42.7 22,K2,Q8,Q4s,J9,J8s,T9s
Q3s 43.0 22,K2,Q8,Q3s,J9,J8s,T9s
T8s 43.3 22,K2,Q8,Q3s,J9,T8s
J7s 43.6 22,K2,Q8,Q3s,J9,J7s,T8s
Q7 44.5 22,K2,Q7,Q3s,J9,J7s,T8s
Q2s 44.8 22,K2,Q7,Q2s,J9,J7s,T8s
Q6 45.7 22,K2,Q6,Q2s,J9,J7s,T8s
98s 46.0 22,K2,Q6,Q2s,J9,J7s,98s
Q5 46.9 22,K2,Q5,Q2s,J9,J7s,98s
J8 47.8 22,K2,Q5,Q2s,J8,J7s,98s
T9 48.7 22,K2,Q5,Q2s,J8,J7s,T9,98s
J6s 49.0 22,K2,Q5,Q2s,J8,J6s,T9,98s
T7s 49.3 22,K2,Q5,Q2s,J8,J6s,T9,T7s,98s
J5s 49.6 22,K2,Q5,Q2s,J8,J5s,T9,T7s,98s
Q4 50.5 22,K2,Q4,Q2s,J8,J5s,T9,T7s,98s
J4s 50.8 22,K2,Q4,Q2s,J8,J4s,T9,T7s,98s
J7 51.7 22,K2,Q4,Q2s,J7,J4s,T9,T7s,98s
Q3 52.6 22,K2,Q3,Q2s,J7,J4s,T9,T7s,98s
97s 52.9 22,K2,Q3,Q2s,J7,J4s,T9,97s
T8 53.8 22,K2,Q3,Q2s,J7,J4s,T8,97s
J3s 54.1 22,K2,Q3,Q2s,J7,J3s,T8,97s
T6s 54.4 22,K2,Q3,Q2s,J7,J3s,T8,T6s,97s
Q2 55.4 22,Q2,J7,J3s,T8,T6s,97s
J2s 55.7 22,Q2,J7,J2s,T8,T6s,97s
87s 56.0 22,Q2,J7,J2s,T8,T6s,87s
J6 56.9 22,Q2,J6,J2s,T8,T6s,87s
98 57.8 22,Q2,J6,J2s,T6s,98,87s
T7 58.7 22,Q2,J6,J2s,T7,T6s,98,87s
96s 59.0 22,Q2,J6,J2s,T7,98,96s,87s
J5 59.9 22,Q2,J5,J2s,T7,98,96s,87s
T5s 60.2 22,Q2,J5,J2s,T7,T5s,98,96s,87s
T4s 60.5 22,Q2,J5,J2s,T7,T4s,98,96s,87s
86s 60.8 22,Q2,J5,J2s,T7,T4s,98,86s
J4 61.7 22,Q2,J4,J2s,T7,T4s,98,86s
T6 62.6 22,Q2,J4,J2s,T6,T4s,98,86s
97 63.5 22,Q2,J4,J2s,T6,T4s,97,86s
T3s 63.8 22,Q2,J4,J2s,T6,T3s,97,86s
76s 64.1 22,Q2,J4,J2s,T6,T3s,97,76s
95s 64.4 22,Q2,J4,J2s,T6,T3s,97,95s,76s
J3 65.3 22,Q2,J3,J2s,T6,T3s,97,95s,76s
T2s 65.6 22,Q2,J3,T6,T2s,97,95s,76s
87 66.5 22,Q2,J3,T6,T2s,95s,87,76s
85s 66.8 22,Q2,J3,T6,T2s,87,85s,76s
96 67.7 22,Q2,J3,T2s,96,87,85s,76s
T5 68.6 22,Q2,J3,T5,T2s,96,87,85s,76s
J2 69.5 22,J2,T5,T2s,96,87,85s,76s
75s 69.8 22,J2,T5,T2s,96,87,75s
94s 70.1 22,J2,T5,T2s,96,94s,87,75s
T4 71.0 22,J2,T4,T2s,96,94s,87,75s
65s 71.3 22,J2,T4,T2s,96,94s,87,65s
86 72.2 22,J2,T4,T2s,94s,86,65s
93s 72.5 22,J2,T4,T2s,93s,86,65s
84s 72.9 22,J2,T4,T2s,93s,86,84s,65s
95 73.8 22,J2,T4,T2s,95,93s,86,84s,65s
T3 74.7 22,J2,T3,T2s,95,93s,86,84s,65s
76 75.6 22,J2,T3,T2s,95,93s,84s,76,65s
92s 75.9 22,J2,T3,95,92s,84s,76,65s
74s 76.2 22,J2,T3,95,92s,76,74s,65s
54s 76.5 22,J2,T3,95,92s,76,74s,65s,54s
T2 77.4 22,T2,95,92s,76,74s,65s,54s
85 78.3 22,T2,92s,85,76,74s,65s,54s
64s 78.6 22,T2,92s,85,76,54s
83s 78.9 22,T2,92s,85,83s,76,54s
94 79.8 22,T2,94,92s,85,83s,76,54s
75 80.7 22,T2,94,92s,83s,75,54s
82s 81.0 22,T2,94,82s,75,54s
73s 81.3 22,T2,94,82s,75,73s,54s
93 82.2 22,T2,93,82s,75,73s,54s
65 83.1 22,T2,93,82s,73s,65,54s
53s 83.4 22,T2,93,82s,73s,65,64s,53s
63s 83.7 22,T2,93,82s,65,53s
84 84.6 22,T2,93,84,82s,65,53s
92 85.5 22,92,84,82s,65,53s
43s 85.8 22,92,84,82s,65,43s
74 86.7 22,92,82s,74,65,43s
72s 87.0 22,92,74,72s,65,43s
54 87.9 22,92,74,72s,65,54,43s
64 88.8 22,92,72s,54,43s
52s 89.1 22,92,72s,63s,54,52s,43s
62s 89.4 22,92,54,52s,43s
83 90.3 22,92,83,54,52s,43s
42s 90.6 22,92,83,54,42s
82 91.6 22,82,54,42s
73 92.5 22,82,73,54,42s
53 93.4 22,82,73,64,53,42s
63 94.3 22,82,53,42s
32s 94.6 22,82,53,32s
43 95.5 22,82,43,32s
72 96.4 22,72,43,32s
52 97.3 22,72,63,52,43,32s
62 98.2 22,52,43,32s
42 99.1 22,42,32s
32 100.0 Allhands

Answer  The Wizard computes a default Edge% based on two factors:

1. Your effective stack size in big blinds.
2. Your position relative to the big blind.

Your effective stack is the largest amount you can lose on the hand when it is your first turn to act.

When your effective stack (measured in big blinds) is large, your Edge% generally needs to be large to reduce variance. When your effective stack is small, your Edge% generally should be small (or even negative) because you need to take even the smallest advantage.

When your effective stack is small and you are getting close to hitting the big blind, your Edge% should be even smaller (or even more negative) because you situation is becoming more disparate.

The default edge calculation can be completely customized to fit your style of play by using the Edge Editor. Select "Edge editor..." on the Tools menu to edit the default edge. See "Default Edge" in the help reference section for more details.

Answer 
1. The Wizard accounts for possible overcalls. Other ICM programs assume that once one opponent calls your push everybody else will fold.

2. When you fold, the Wizard accounts for the possibility that other players who are left to act will get all-in. Other ICM programs assume that when you fold, all other players will also fold.

Answer  First, you will need to create a custom tournament structure with the payouts for the tournament. It’s pretty easy and you can find detailed instructions in the help file.

The load the tournament hand history into the Wizard. When there is still more than one table active, you need to use “Chip EV” analysis mode in the Wizard’s options dialog. This mode values each chip equally.

When you are down to the final table, switch to “ICM” mode in the options dialog. ICM mode is only valid when you get down to a single table.

You can also set the mode on the game view by clicking on the “Options” link in the upper right hand corner.

Answer  No, at this time all opponent hand ranges are based Sklansky-Karlson (KS) hand rankings. You can specify hand ranges either as a top percentage of KS rankings (like top 10%) or as a middle range (like from 10% to 20%).

The problem with supporting user-defined hand ranges is speed, or lack thereof. By using a fixed hand ranking (like the KS rankings) I can pre-compute all the raw hand equity calculations. This permits the SitNGo Wizard to compute the hero’s hand range in a fraction of a second. The same calculation (the Compute All button) takes several seconds in SNTPT. Actually, the speed difference is even greater because SNGPT is only computing heads-up showdowns. SNGWIZ is computing 3-way showdowns in addition to heads-up showdowns.

If user-defined hand ranges were supported, the equity calculations would have to be computed in real-time. Imagine running hundreds of PokerStove solutions every time you open a hand. I fear the performance would be dreadful.

This feature will be added if I can find a workable solution to the performance issue.

However, I am working on what I think will be an even better solution. I recently enhanced the statistics collection program to collect opponent hole cards that are shown down. From this data I will be able to compile the frequency that each hand is shown in various situations. I can use the frequencies to produce a hand ranking based on real opponent behavior. So far I do not have nearly enough samples, but the results look promising.

Answer  This warning message means that there is a significant chance (around 10% or more) that you would be called by 3 or more opponents. Since the Wizard cannot compute 4-way showdowns, a player action branch had to be removed from the player action tree. Therefore, the analysis may not be accurate since a significant branch had to be pruned.