What Is Variance Poker and What Should You Look For When Playing Poker?
One of the keys to successful Poker games is that the player always has a good grasp of the strategies associated with the game. This not only helps you master the game but also motivates you to make wise and informed decisions.
Variance Poker is not a new concept, but not everyone knows it. Let’s learn more about this term with Win100 to bet comfortably and confidently on Poker.
What is Variance Poker?
Variance is a concept commonly seen in Poker betting. It represents the fluctuations in the betting results of players in many consecutive games. In other words, Variance Poker is the ups and downs in the betting process with a series of downswings/upswings (up/down) continuously occurring.
In simple terms, Variance represents the difference between the average amount of money/game that you expect to earn over the long term and the actual result in the bet. For example, when participating in Poker, a player hopes to win an average of $1000 per bet in a month. And in reality, this result is much more profitable when you win $3000. This is considered the ultimate upswing series of Variance in Poker.
Why Should We Care About Variance Poker?
Although it is a fairly simple concept, not everyone clearly understands the value of Variance Poker.
Real-World Example of Variance Poker
The following illustration of Variance in the All-in with the highest pair (AA) will help you understand this issue clearly.
For example, the situation where the player is executing the command is heads-up with an opponent who is a true maniac and has a record of all-in with every hand dealt. In this case, you have not been dealt 5 consecutive times holding 2 cards of the form AA and decide to call all-in-all 5 times pre-flop.
It is important to understand that AA is a hand type with an 85% winning rate in Poker. Therefore, the probability of winning the all-in bet here is up to 4/5, meaning you can completely expect this winning rate to be very high. However, “life is not like a dream”, in all 5 times of all-in, you actually lost (this is a very rare result, only 0.007%). But in reality it can still happen and it is unfortunate that you are the one who has to receive this.
Thus, Variance in Poker in this case is clearly shown when the player expects to win an average of 4 out of 5 all-ins but in reality does not win any bets (variance = value of 4 buy-ins). Clearly, variance shows the bettor the difference between the expected long-term result and the actual short-term result. From there, it gives the most accurate betting warnings.
Variance illustration graph
Variance Poker illustration graph visually represents the player’s expectations and the actual results. In the graph, it can be seen that the player has the option to continuously all-in over many games with increasing values (playing boldly), but the win-loss ratio of this player is not consistent with the winning time displayed near 2000 but also the losing time reaching -1000.
>> See more: Optimal Poker Play for Professionals
Why Did Variance Poker Appear?
The nature of Poker is a game that requires a high level of skill in making choices. However, like any other form of Casino, this game also requires an element of luck. This is clearly shown in the flexible changes of the bet according to each type of card dealt and the player has absolutely no control over this. It is this uncertainty that causes the fluctuations that create Variance Poker.
Any Poker player will have their own Variance ratio. No matter how good the betting technique is, there will be periods of big wins or consecutive losses that are unpredictable. Therefore, get used to this feeling and be more confident in your betting judgment. Variance in Poker is simply the actual betting experience.
Factors That Affect Variance Poker?
Through experience and general assessments, it is found that the factors that affect Variance Poker include:
– Your playing style: for example, players with a Loose-Aggressive style, often participate in more pots with the Tight bet and bet more money. In other words, the more pots you participate in, the bigger your Variance will be.
– Poker game type: Omaha will usually have less volatility than Hold’em. Because the winning rate of each hand in Omaha will be around 60/40, while the winning rate of hands in Hold’em when the player goes all-in can be up to 75/25. The smaller the difference in advantage, the smaller the Variance.
– Betting type: It is easy to see that no-limit poker betting format will have more variance than limit poker.
– Cash game and Tournament: Tournaments usually contain more volatility than Cash-game.
How Does Variance Poker Affect Betting Games?
Variance is a result that clearly shows the overall betting of the entire Poker game. Therefore, if you know how to take advantage of this, you will be able to make wise bets and control your capital effectively.
Thanks to Variance, players have a better chance of locking doors
Obviously, no game is always a winner or a loser. And Variance Poker is a clear example of this. The fluctuations in average expected results and actual bets show that even when playing very well, you can still lose consecutively or even if you lose heavily, you can still recover later. The important thing is that the player needs to clearly recognize the situation of the bet and make the choice that he really thinks is the most correct.
Confidence in your poker betting ability is a particularly important quality for you to have a successful head-up.
Variance helps bettors accept all game results
A veteran poker player needs to grasp and actively accept all possibilities. Because even when playing really well, you can still face consecutive losses. This is very normal, requiring bettors to adapt. It is best to learn how to play one game to avoid being psychologically affected by the previous bet, whether downswing or upswing.
