Poker is a game of skill where each participant tries to win as much money as possible. In order to make the game more fair, poker players are given a starting hand and must try to improve their hand using basic strategy.
However, even with optimal play, some hands will be better than others and this is where variance comes into play.
Variance is simply the difference between what a player expects to win and what they actually win. It can be caused by a variety of factors, but the most common are luck and skill.
Luck refers to the unpredictable aspects of the game, such as how often a particular card will be drawn. Skill refers to how well a player plays the game overall.
There are several ways to calculate variance, but the most popular is called “expected value”. This calculates how much money a player would expect to win given their current hand and their opponent’s current cards.
By doing this, it takes into account both luck and skill, giving players an idea of what they’re likely to win in any given situation.
While variance is important in poker, it’s also important to remember that it can never be eliminated entirely. Even with perfect play, some hands will be better than others and this is where chance comes into play.
Ultimately, variance is something that all poker players need to accept as part of the game.
