Select Page
Poker Forum
Over 1,291,000 Posts!
Poker ForumBeginners Circle

Value betting and equity

Results 1 to 4 of 4
  1. #1

    Default Value betting and equity

    Hi.

    I've read that a value bet, is a bet you make when you think you are ahead of your opponents calling range.

    So my question is, do you always need more then 50% equity to make a value bet?

    The reason I ask is because if you have 49% equity against your opponents calling range and you bet 1% of the pot,
    you are risking very little to to win a lot. I'm not sure if this is a wining play but if it was would it be a value bet even though you are not ahead of your opponents calling range?
  2. #2
    if you think you are ahead of your aopponents range , betting 1% of pot if fckn stupid. its not a value bet its a "losing shitloads of value" bet. read up on EV calculations for the reasons why and why you don't need 50% equity
  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Keith View Post
    if you think you are ahead of your aopponents range , betting 1% of pot if fckn stupid. its not a value bet its a "losing shitloads of value" bet. read up on EV calculations for the reasons why and why you don't need 50% equity
    That's not what I said.


    I'm trying to understand what a value bet is. Reading that a value is a bet made when you think you are ahead of your opponents calling range, I came to the conclusion you need above 50% equity.


    So a value bet is just a bet that has a positive expectation?
  4. #4
    MadMojoMonkey's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Posts
    10,322
    Location
    St Louis, MO
    It's a complicated subject, which is not necessarily defined in the same way by everyone who has something to say about it.

    Start here:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Value_(poker)
    (The example at the end of the article is limit Hold 'Em. Take it as a guide for NLHE, but not the end of the story.)

    Google other sites if you like.
    Bring back any questions you may have.

    You're going to want to make sure you understand what equity is.
    Also, know the pot-odds equation and how to apply it.
    Understanding these terms is at the heart of learning poker. These will play a role in nearly every decision you make.

    Making value from a bet is about choosing appropriate bet sizes to manipulate your EV to your greatest benefit. In so doing, you do not need to have > 50% equity against villain's range. In fact, this is the unrealistic max. I say unrealistic, because only in a game with no blinds or antes would you ever need 50% equity to make a value bet. The presence of dead money in the pot always means you need less than 50% equity. So, even in the hypothetical game with no binds or antes, it's still only the first decision that requires you to have > 50% equity. After that, the dead money from the previous bets is there.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •