Imagine, that you are dealt JJ in the big blind. It is folded to an opponent, who goes all in with the remains of his stack from the small blind. You are last to act. What is your chance of winning here? The answer depends on your ability to evaluate your equity in this situation.

This poker video was created by for Download Equilab (Holdem): http://www.pokerstrategy.com/poker-tools/. In contrast to almost all other known poker tools, the Power-Equilab can handle not only heads up scenarios. All subtools in the Power-Equilab can handle multiway scenarios as well. The Power-Equilab is the result of collectiong all the best parts of other poker software into one application.

Putting opponent on a range

Your equity at this point in the hand depends on the hands, that your opponent will be going all in with for the remains of his stack. This qualified assumption will not just be a specific hand, but a whole range of hands. Your assumption will be based on the type of opponent, that you are facing, and other information, that you might have. This proces is also known as putting your opponent on a range.

The range of hands, that your opponent will have in this situation, will depend on the player type of your opponent. It might also depend on his perception of your player type.

In this example, you might know or assume, that your opponent is a tight player type, who does this with a range of hands, that includes AA, KK, QQ, AK and AQ. This range is also described as QQ+, AQ+.

Evaluating equity

You can select and visualize a range of hands in equity evaluation software, such as Equilab. This software is a used, when you are studying poker away from the table. Over time, you will automatically know your equity with different hands in different situations.

Your equity, with your hand against the range of hands of your opponent, can then be evaluated.

In this example, JJ has a 42,60% chance to win the hand. JJ is not a favorite to win the hand.

Conclusion

Your ability to evaluate and know your equity is a fundamental element of poker. It is crucial to your long term results.

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When evaluating your chances of winning at a given time in a poker hand, you will use your ability to assume a range of hands, that your opponent will have. You can then visualize that range in equity evaluating software and calculate your equity against that range.

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Whether or not you should raise, call or fold depends on other factors as well. These factors includes the pot odds, that you given in the hand, and the expected value.