EVs & equity

The strategy browser shows two kinds of numbers next to every action and every hand: EV (expected value) and equity. They answer different questions. This page explains both, plus the display settings that change how the numbers look — Fold EV = 0, BB display, and Four-color deck.

None of these settings change the solution itself. They only change how it is shown.

What EV means

EV is the average result of an action, measured over every possible runout and every opponent response — assuming both players follow the solver's strategy. An EV of +2.50 means: if you took this action in this exact spot many times, you would win 2.50 units on average each time.

EV is the number to trust when comparing actions. If betting has a higher EV than checking for a hand, betting wins more in the long run with that hand.

The Fold EV = 0 convention

There are two common ways to display EV, and different solvers pick different ones. ARTGTO lets you choose with the Fold EV = 0 checkbox (in the bottom status bar, and in Settings under Appearance). It is on by default.

• On — EVs are shown with your already-committed chips added back, so a fold reads 0. This is the convention used by PioSOLVER and SimplePostflop, so numbers are directly comparable with those tools.
• Off — EVs are shown as net results from the start of the hand. Folds are negative, because the chips you already put in are counted as lost.

Example

You are on the river. Over the earlier streets you put 5 BB into the pot. Now you face a bet, and calling is slightly profitable:

Both columns describe the same solution. In both, calling beats folding by exactly 5.80 — the gap between actions never changes. Only the baseline moves.

At a node where folding is one of the options, each combo's displayed EV is anchored to that combo's own exact fold EV. At nodes with no fold option, one node-wide shift is applied instead.

BB display

The BB display checkbox lives in Settings under Appearance and is on by default. When it is on, values are labeled in big blinds (BB).

Why this matters: big blinds make spots comparable across stakes. "I win 0.8 BB by calling" means the same thing at every limit, while a chip amount does not.

Equity

Equity is your share of the pot if all remaining cards were dealt right now with no more betting. It is shown as a percentage. The EQ column in the action table shows the equity of the combos that take each action, and the Equity display mode shows it per hand in the grid (see Strategy browser).

ARTGTO computes equity on demand for the exact node you are viewing — your range against the opponent's range, on this exact board, weighted by how both ranges actually reach this point.

Equity is not EV

A hand can have high equity and low EV, or the reverse:

• A medium pair may have 55% equity but a poor EV out of position, because it cannot bet for value and often faces pressure. It does not realize its equity.
• A flush draw may have only 35% equity but a fine EV, because it can semi-bluff and win pots without showdown.

Use equity to understand the raw strength of a range. Use EV to decide what an action is actually worth.

Four-color deck

The Four-color deck checkbox is in Settings under Appearance and is on by default. Each suit gets its own color instead of the classic two-color red/black deck.

Why: when you study flush boards and blockers, suits matter constantly. Four colors let you read a board or a combo at a glance and make suit misreads much less likely.

Display settings at a glance

Where to go next

• Strategy browser — where these numbers appear.
• Saving and opening solutions — what is stored and what is recomputed.