No Limit Poker Strategy - Fold Equity

There are lots of important terms in poker and one of the most vital terms that a poker player should know is fold equity. This term is a concept that is imperative especially once a player has been short-stacked in a no limit or pot limit tournament. This is the equity that a player expects to get from opponent’s folding to the bet. It is equal to fold (equity=likelihood that opponents fold*gain equity of opponent fold). You can estimate the first half of the formula according to reads of opponents or from previous actions. The second part of the formula is the equity from opponents fold against your raise. The post raise pot is higher than current pot that is why the fold equity can either be positive or negative. In may seem complicated and thus you may want to visit something like William Hill poker school in order to learn all the advanced details.

Fold equity is known as an important term for short stacks because of different reasons. In case a player need to use a huge percentage of stacks to make call, then this range is expected to be narrow. Once the percentage of the stacks become lower, then the range of card that a player need will become wider. The player will not frequently fold. The fold equity diminishes in time. There will come a point wherein the players need small percentage of stacks to opt for all-in that they can do with the use of two cards. Therefore, all-in bettor will not have any equity.

This term is also used for short stacked poker dynamics. There is static action for players moving all-in with a definite sized stack that is usually short stack against players getting called by more than one opponent. If there is a need for larger chip stack to call for all-in bets, then there is a small chance for your opponents to call for the bet. There will be more fold equity for all-in bettor. It also the same with the smaller chip stack need to call for all-in bet, the wider the chance of your opponents to call for the bet, then the more the fold equity of the all-in better diminishes.

There are scenarios where all-in bettor will experience short stacked and the caller will gain proper odds to create a call using any two cards. In short the all-in bettor will not gain any fold equity. It is imperative for you to know the relationship between the fold equity and pot equity. Let’s say a player raise for small blind and his or her opponents call for big blind. No one is short stacked, so it means that chip stack is never a consideration in this matter. It can happen in a poker tournament or simple poker game, so you need to prepare yourself in case you are face with this kind of situation. It is better if you know what to do, so you do not have to leave the game. There are other important terms that you need to know and fold equity is less complicated compared to other poker terms.