poker math

14.04.2009, 16:22 0

i have been having a debate with a fellow poker player about math in poker,i agree poker is based alot on maths to make the more dificult descisions and setting youself good odds to make yourself profit over the long run,i mean yeah there is times when you can have a read on players and know his hand range and can call a hand even if your odds are wrong if you are shure he is on a bluff e.t.c,but for working out whether to play straights,flushes and when are faced with a bet that you know you are behnd but if you hit your hand you will win at showdown if the odds are correct and you are priced in you should defo call,i totaly dont agree with going on huntches and soley on reads as read at an online table are next to nothing as you are constantly moving around ,

here is what he had to say about the math side of poker

I think math is the last thing that you should be thinking of when makign a decision on the poker table. I think all types of reads you can have on your opponent are much more important. And just that one categorie "reads" containt so much like bluffing, betting patterns which are the biggest 2 things I can think at this moment.

care to discuss

cheers

2 replies

Dragar

Joined: 09.09.2008

Posts: 2,590

14.04.2009, 19:10 0

Math is idiotic

Nah but seriously:
Math pays a very important part in poker. It is always -EV if you follow draws which are too expensive if villain knows your drawing, such as flush draws etc.
It is only +EV to follow draws against odds if villain will not be able to put you on it and pay you off, or if you can win the hand with other cards instead of the draw.

For example two overs with a flush draw (especially nuts flush draw) are ahead against any pair below the two overs. Such draws can be played very aggresivly.

Other aggresive draws are for example a hidden straight draws using one gappers where the flop or turn brings scare cards. You can bet into this, villain might put you on the scarecard or have it himself IP to you. Does not raise because his kicker is weak and if you hit your draw he will pay you off one more bet most of the time. His hand might even improve to two pair, or he is slowplaying something and you can stack him. This is probably what your friend means with reads. If you know that villain is passive and you can put him on TPGK or a hand which he likes to slow play you can bet the amount into him which is just high enough for him to just call and not raise.
If you would check to him you would be most probably be faced with a higher bet and have to fold.

In general math is very important, and we always use it... just that we think of implied odds and fold equity while having draws and because of this can sometimes play draws which would be too expensive just looking at odds and not implied odds.

I play on GGpoker even though it says Pokerstars. None of my hand histories will have villain stats.

_Anonymous_

18.04.2009, 08:41 0

You can make money in poker without reads, you cannot make money without understanding the math.

Anybody new to poker must learn the math first, then the psychology later - people who get it backwards are almost guaranteed to go bust.

[Closed] poker math