Many poker players know that expected value looks at how much we expect to gain or lose by making a certain poker play over the long run. For instance, if you make a $10 call in a $60 pot (6:1 pot odds) with a flush draw (3:1 odds of hitting the hand), you are getting positive EV over the long haul. But beyond the definition, most poker players don’t realize how expected value can be helpful.
Some players have a vague idea that expected value is something that we use in games to make correct plays. Unfortunately, you can’t determine EV in-game for every play that you make; this means that it’s a much more effective tool for analyzing post-session play.
For instance, if you go over hand histories and look at certain plays, you can begin to see moves you made with +EV. Assuming you’re new to analyzing post-session play, you’re not going to spot positive and negative EV moves right away. But over time, you will eventually start to pick up on +EV plays you’re making as well as -EV moves too.
As you may have guessed, the more you analyze your play after the fact, the more +EV plays you will identify. And this is extremely helpful in games because you’ll be able to repeat these positive expected value plays without having to think about it.
Obviously analyzing EV after sessions isn’t something that will appeal to everybody. After all, most players would rather watch strategy videos or receive coaching to improve their play. But if you’re looking for another way to improve, analyzing sessions and looking for +EV plays is a great way to do it.
