Preflop strategy is a set of relationships, not a laminated chart.
Starting cards matter. So do position, stack depth, prior action, sizing, rake, player tendencies and tournament incentives.
A hand is not simply “playable” or “unplayable.” Its value changes with how many players remain, how much it costs to continue, whether you will have position after the flop, and what range of hands the prior action represents.
Range
The set of hands a player can plausibly hold after taking an action—not one guessed exact holding.
Position
Later seats can generally enter more pots because fewer players remain and post-flop information improves.
Stack depth
Deep stacks reward nutted potential differently from shallow stacks where commitment occurs earlier.
Open size
Larger raises risk more and change the price offered to callers and blind defenders.
Rake
Cash-game rake can make marginal calls and small pots less attractive than rake-free theory suggests.
Tournament pressure
Antes, rising blinds and payout structure can materially change incentives.
What a chart can and cannot do
A chart can be a useful baseline for a defined format, table size, stack depth and raise size. The problem begins when the assumptions disappear. Baccaret will publish ranges only when the game model is stated beside them.