Expected value
Also called EV.
What a decision is worth on average, weighing each outcome by how likely it is.
A call of 10 points that wins 40 points more a quarter of the time, and loses the 10 the rest of the time, has an expected value of 0.25 × 40 − 0.75 × 10 = 2.5 points: worth making, even though it loses most of the time.
This is the idea behind judging decisions rather than results.
New to poker? Play your first hands, with a coach at every decision. Practice points only.
Try it yourself
Calling costs 4 points. If you win, you collect 16 points that were already in the pot; you win one time in four. On average, what does each call win or lose?
2 questions, a minute or two. Nothing to finish first.
Learn and practise it
- Lesson: Worth it on average