Board coverage
Having hands in your range that connect with every type of flop, so that no board leaves you with nothing to bet or defend. It is the reason pre-flop ranges include suited connectors and small pairs alongside big cards.
Frequently asked questions
What is board coverage in poker?
The extent to which your range can make very strong hands across different board textures. A range with good coverage has the nuts available whatever comes; a narrow range has whole categories of board where it cannot.
Why does coverage matter?
Because an opponent who knows you cannot hold the nuts on a board can bet and raise against you with impunity. Coverage is what keeps a range uncapped, and it is the reason to include some hands that are not individually profitable to open.
How do you build coverage?
By keeping a mix in your preflop ranges — some suited connectors and small suited aces alongside the big cards, and some small pairs. Those hands make the straights, flushes and sets that big-card hands never can, which is exactly why they belong in a late-position opening range.