I'm about to do some research with Nash tables, now I want to create an equity heatmap for the starting hands.
Is there any canonical way to calculate their relative rank? Perhaps a conventional source?
1 Answer
No. There is no "generic" way of calculating the equity of a given confrontation except for calculating it directly. For example, bigger pairs have a 4:1-ish advantage over smaller pairs, but the odds are not exactly the same in AA-KK than in AA-77. As a rule of thumb, with round numbers:
Bigger pair vs two lower cards (paired or not): 80%
A pocket pair vs two unpaired overcards: 50%
A pocket pair vs two cards (one higher, one lower or equal): 65%
A pair dominating two unpaired cards (like 99 vs 94): 90%
Two unpaired high cards vs two unpaired low cards: 60%
Dominating unpaired hand (like AK vs AJ): 70%
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You can calculate the range of the hand vs. any two, taking the blockers of that hand into account.– Jonast92Nov 11, 2019 at 15:50
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Sure. But your equity against a random hand is not necessarely a good criterion for "hand ranking"– DavidNov 11, 2019 at 16:12
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Well, then what is? The only reason AA is on the top is because it has the most equity. There's nothing else to it.– Jonast92Nov 11, 2019 at 16:21
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Why equity against one random hand and not against two, or three? Or equity against the Nash equilibrium calling range in a given spot? AA is still best in all of those spots– DavidNov 11, 2019 at 17:35
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Because OP asked if you could calculate the best starting hands. That means you have to compare each hand to all other possible hands.– Jonast92Nov 12, 2019 at 10:07