Poker glossary
Equity
Your share of the pot based on how often your hand will win from this point.
Equity is your share of the pot, based on how often your hand will win from this point if all the remaining cards are dealt. If you’d win 40% of the time, you have 40% equity. Ties count as half a win.
Equity examples
Calculated over every possible remaining board:
| Your hand | Opponent | Board | Your equity |
|---|---|---|---|
| A♠ K♦ | Q♥ Q♣ | (preflop) | 43% |
| A♥ K♥ | Q♠ Q♣ | (preflop) | 46% |
| J♣ T♣ | A♠ K♦ | 9♣ 8♦ 2♥ | 52% |
The last one shows that a strong draw can be ahead of a hand that looks better. Run any match-up in the odds calculator, or the Omaha calculator for PLO. For a quick estimate at the table, use the rule of 2 and 4.
Using equity: compare it with pot odds
Equity tells you whether a call pays. Work out what share of the final pot you’re paying, then compare.
Example: the pot is 100 and your opponent goes all-in for 50. You call 50 to make the final pot 200, so you’re paying 25% of it. Any hand with more than 25% equity is a profitable call. A flush draw on the flop gets there by the river about 35% of the time, so it’s an easy call. More in pot odds.
Equity vs expected value
Equity isn’t the same as expected value (EV). Equity assumes the hand is checked down to the end. In a real hand there’s more betting, and position and skill decide how much of your equity you actually win. Players call this equity realisation: hands in position usually win more than their raw equity, and hands out of position usually less.
Fold equity
Fold equity is the extra value you gain when a bet makes your opponent fold. A semi-bluff with a draw has both kinds: the chance to win now, plus the equity to win if called. More in aggression and fold equity.