The Coin Flip Defined
If you’ve ever watched the WSOP on the tube, then undoubtedly you’ve also heard hands called a “coin-flip” situation, or a “race to the finish.” But I wonder how many people have actually thought about what this means?
The most obvious answer is that the chances are 50-50 for either player to win.
And that’s a solid answer.
But in poker there are times that are better than others to chase down a coin-flip situation.
Generally we see it happen when we have a low pair vs. two over cards. The odds are about 50/50 for these types of hands.
But, if you’re going to gamble on a coin flip, it’s usually a better idea to do it after the flop says poker professional Daniel Negreanu.
The reason it’s better, Negreanu says, is because if you bet it all pre flop, you can’t be too sure you’ve actually entered a coin flip situation.
And it makes great sense. If you’re holding pocket sixes, and you’re opponent is holding a higher pair, your chances of overcoming are not 50-50. Instead, they’re more like 1 in 4.
It all comes down to not overplaying hands that one may think is a coin flippreflop.
It’s true that in many cases, in order to be successful in online poker, you have to do a little gambling, and you have to win some coinflips and races along the way.
But as Negreanu advises, do as the pros do. And choose your battles. Wait until you’ve seen the flop, and then you can make a fully informed decision on whether or not you’re truly at 50-50 odds, and whether or not you want to risk it all to that strange and elusive entity we call “luck.”
