What does the term “coin flip” mean in poker?
In poker, there are situations where two opponents have equal odds of winning. This is a significant topic in the poker community, as such a scenario offers a wealth of analysis. How can you maximize your advantage in such a situation? When is risk more justified, and when is it less appropriate?

What does a coin flip mean in poker?
How do you use a coin flip in poker?

Translated from English, a coin flip is the position of a tossed coin, “fifty-fifty,” meaning approximately a 50/50 chance of any number coming up. Such situations are rare, but it’s important to be careful, as it’s always a loss for one player and a gain for the other.
Poker coin flip odds illustration showing equity comparison between two hands

The main recommendation from experts in such 50/50 odds is to take the initiative and go all-in. Besides the possibility of doubling up from an opponent’s call, there’s also “fold equity” (the probability of the opponent folding).

New players often face difficulties in the push-fold stage. These difficulties are primarily due to inexperience and a lack of proper analysis of their opponent’s range of options. It’s also important to understand the principles of the “ICM calculation model” (calculating tournament equity using all stacks) during a tournament and not be afraid to risk your stack preflop, especially if a favorable situation arises.

How do you choose the right time to coinflip?

To accurately choose the appropriate bet when the odds are split, you need to consider many factors:

The stage of the tournament
The size of all blinds
The opponent’s actions and statistics.

Coinflips don’t only happen preflop. You can also bet on the flop. This can happen when a player has a pocket pair and their opponent flops an overcard and an open-ended straight draw.
It’s also crucial to assess your opponent’s hand range. By setting a percentage of their shoves, you can be less likely to be influenced by them and avoid risking your stack too much. What are the odds of your cards against a probable opponent’s hand? For example, ace-four is more likely to win against a queen-jack when all-in than ace-seven. If there’s a chance to make a straight, there’s an additional percentage chance of winning.

In a coin flip, it’s better to get all-in with a blind style or when defending by counter-raising. In such a hand, your opponent rarely has a strong hand, which gives you a chance to gain additional fold equity.

From what position is it most profitable to shov?

Late is best, as there’s a good chance more than two players will be in the pot. The button is the most profitable position for shoving all-in. The odds of winning increase with heads-up betting. You can calculate the percentage probability of possible hands when betting; poker calculators on poker sites are useful for this. You enter the resource data for each pair of hands, and the system calculates the mathematical probability of a successful play.

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