Fold Equity In Poker
Every time you play poker, you need to think about how good your hand is compared to what the other player might have. Sometimes, though, you can win a hand without having the best cards by making the other player give up and fold. That’s called getting fold equity in poker. When you’re at the tables on BLITZPOKER, it’s crucial to take a moment to assess your hand. Look for those golden opportunities to use fold equity to your advantage. It’s not just about the cards you’re holding, but how you play them that truly counts.
Fold equity is important to understand if you want to be good at poker. It’s all about knowing when to bet to make the other player fold. So, this guide is going to explain what fold equity is, how to use it in poker, and why it’s such a big deal. Let’s dive in and explore more about fold equity in poker.
What’s Fold Equity in Poker?
In simpler terms, fold equity in poker means you gain extra chances to win when your opponent gives up their hand sometimes. Every time our opponents decide to fold, whether it’s before the cards are dealt or during the game, we win the pot then and there. That’s like adding points to our score, as most hands probably could have beaten us if we had to show our cards.
When we bet in poker, we’re hoping our opponent will give up their hand sometimes. Even if we already have the best hand, making them fold is still a good thing because we stop them from having any chance to win and we take the pot. Any extra chances to win that come from making bets can be added to our chances of winning with our current hand. Here’s a simple way to figure out how good our chances are:
How do you calculate fold equity in poker?
Fold Equity can be calculated by using the following:
Total Chances to Win = Chances with Current Hand (Hand Equity) + Extra Chances from Opponent Folding (Fold Equity)
So, let’s say you only have a flush draw and you think you have about a 45% chance of winning against what your opponent might have. At first, this might not seem like a big chance, but you can make it much better by making some bets and adding the chances of your opponent folding.
If you think your opponent will fold about half of the time when you bet, you can add a lot to your chances of winning and stop them from using half of their chances. This means your chances of winning go up from 45% to 72.5% (45% + half of 55%) when you count all the times your opponent folds.
The more chances you create for your opponent to fold by betting, the better your overall chances of winning become, and the more points you’ll score with your moves.
Calculating Pot Odds Example
Let’s do a simple calculation to understand pot odds. Imagine you bet ₹500 into a ₹1000 pot:
Risk-to-Reward Ratio = (500 / (500 + 1000)) x 100
Risk-to-Reward Ratio = 0.33 x 100
Risk-to-Reward Ratio = 33%
In this scenario, if your bluff has 0% equity when called, your ₹500 bet requires more than 33% fold equity to be profitable in the long term.
The more equity you possess, the less fold equity you need for a profitable bet. This is because you have two potential ways to win – by hitting your hand or causing your opponent to fold.
What Is an Example of Fold Equity? : Seeing Fold Equity in Action
Let’s imagine you’re at a critical point in a poker game. There’s ₹1000 in the pot, and the cards on the table are 10♥ 7♣ 5♠ 2♦. You hold 9♣ 8♣, giving you a chance for a straight. You’re thinking of betting ₹500 as a semi-bluff.
By betting ₹500, you have two possible outcomes:
- Your opponent calls, and you hit a straight on the river, which happens about 18% of the time.
- Your opponent folds.
Even if hitting a 9 or 8 might give you the best hand, let’s focus on the main possibilities for now.
In the previous section, we discussed the need for at least 33% fold equity for a profitable bet. However, this time, your bluff has some equity – around 18% if called. So, if your fold equity is at least 25%, your bet is still profitable because you have 18% equity when called.
What Is Fold Percentage in Poker?
In poker, the fold percentage refers to the likelihood or frequency with which a player decides to fold their hand instead of continuing to play in a particular hand or round of betting.
What Is the Fold Rule in Poker?
When a player decides to fold in poker, it means they choose not to continue playing the current hand. By folding, they agree to give up any chance of winning the pot and the money they’ve already bet in that round.
The Benefits Of Fold Equity In Poker
Fold equity is the reason why semi-bluffs are a smart move.
Fold equity is what makes semi-bluffs effective. When you bet or raise with a flush or a straight draw, most of the time, you’re relying on fold equity to help you out.
Just having these drawing hands by themselves usually isn’t enough to justify calling bets or raises. But when you’re the one doing the betting or raising, fold equity kicks in and can give you the upper hand. So, in the long run, making well-timed semi-bluffs with drawing hands can pay off.
Getting the Most Out of Fold Equity
Fold equity can become your secret weapon when playing poker. You must learn how to use it effectively. While having good cards is important, it’s not enough to secure long-term success.
Using bluffs and semi-bluffs strategically can make opponents fold which can boost your overall winnings.
Now, you understand how to figure out fold equity and calculate your total chances of winning. The next step is gaining experience in predicting when players will fold and which situations are best for applying fold equity.
As you play more, you’ll learn which scenarios are ideal for bluffing, and your fold equity will grow as you become better at the game.