Equity (EQ)

Basic Definition

Equity in poker refers to the numerical representation of the likelihood (winning percentage) that your hand will win the pot. It is calculated by comparing your hand with the expected hand ranges of other players. Equity is an important metric when devising strategies.

Specific Situation

• In a heads-up situation, if your hand is and your opponent's hand is , with a flop of , you will win unless they hit a set, so your equity at this point is about 92%.
• In a tournament, when you have and the flop is , you have both an open-ended straight draw and a flush draw, resulting in a situation where your equity is very high (over 50%) despite having just a seven-high.

Important Information

• When considering equity, it's important to account for not only your current hand but also the opponent's hand range. If you predict your opponent's hand too narrowly, your calculations may become inaccurate.
• By understanding equity, you can calculate the "EV (expected value)" by comparing it with pot odds and bet sizes, allowing you to choose the correct action (call, raise, fold).

Examples of Term Usage

"I chose to call and see the river because my equity was sufficiently high at the turn."