In poker, “fold equity” refers to the percentage of time that a player can expect to win by folding their hand. For example, if a player has a 50% chance of winning by folding, then they have 50% fold equity poker.

What is fold equity in poker?

Fold equity is an important concept in poker because it allows players to make money even when they do not have the best hand. For example, if a player knows that they only have a 30% chance of winning the pot, but they know that their opponents will fold 60% of the time if they make a bet, then they can still make money by betting – even though they are not likely to win the pot. This is because they are taking advantage of their opponents’ tendencies to fold too much and their own fold equity.

Of course, fold equity only works if players are actually folding too much. If everyone at the table is playing perfectly – that is, they are only betting when they have a good chance of winning and folding when they do not – then there will be no fold equity to be had. This is why it is important to pay attention to your opponents’ habits and to try to exploit them when you can.

How do you get fold equity?

There are two ways to get fold equity:

  1. The first way is by having a hand that is likely to win but that also has a good chance of being beaten. For example, if you have a flush draw (four cards of the same suit), then you have a good chance of winning if the hand is played out – but your opponents may well fold if they think you have a better hand than them. In this case, your fold equity comes from the fact that your opponents may be willing to give up the pot even though you don’t have the best hand.
  2. The second way to get fold equity is by betting or raising when you don’t have the best hand. If you make a bet or raise and your opponents all fold, then you will win the pot even though you didn’t have the best hand. In this case, your fold equity comes from the fact that your opponents are willing to give up the pot rather than risk losing more money.

Of course, you can also have a combination of both types of fold equity. For example, if you have a hand that is likely to win but that also has a good chance of being beaten, and you make a bet or raise, then your opponents may well fold even though you don’t have the best hand. In this case, your fold equity comes from both the fact that your opponents may be willing to give up the pot even though you don’t have the best hand and from the fact that they are willing to give up the pot rather than risk losing more money.

Conclusion

Fold equity is the percentage of time that a player can expect to win by folding their hand. It is an important concept in poker because it allows players to make money even when they do not have the best hand. However, it only works if players are actually folding too much. If everyone at the table is playing perfectly, then there will be no fold equity to be had.

FAQs

1. How is fold equity calculated?

Fold equity is calculated by taking the percentage of time that a player can expect to win by folding their hand and subtracting the percentage of time that they would have won if they had stayed in hand.

2. What is required fold equity?

Required fold equity is the percentage of time that a player needs to win in order to make a bet or raise profit. For example, if a player has a 50% chance of winning the pot, but they know that their opponents will fold 60% of the time if they make a bet, then they have 10% required fold equity.

4. What is bluff equity in poker?

Bluff equity is the percentage of time that a player can expect to win by bluffing. It is similar to fold equity, but it takes into account the fact that sometimes players will call a bet even when they know they are beaten.

5. Can you force someone to fold in poker?

There is no guaranteed way to force someone to fold in poker. However, by understanding and exploiting the concept of fold equity poker, players can increase their chances of winning even when they don’t have the best hand.

 

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