Pitonealal
Rock Star
Platinum Level
Hey guys,
Lately I’ve been diving into Nash equilibrium push/fold charts, and I wanted to share some thoughts about how useful (or not) they really are. For anyone who doesn’t know, Nash ranges basically show the “perfectly balanced” strategy for shoving or calling all-ins when stacks are short. They’re kind of like the math solution to preflop poker—if both players follow them exactly, neither can exploit the other. Sounds great, right? 😅
But here’s the thing… in practice, poker isn’t always about playing “perfect balance.” Let me explain 👇
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1️⃣ The Value of Nash Ranges
First off, Nash charts are an amazing baseline. When you’re new to push/fold situations (like <10 BB in tournaments), they give you a clear picture of what hands are mathematically profitable to shove or call. No guessing, no overthinking—just math.
For example, according to Nash, you can shove some hands like K2s or Q5s in certain spots, which feels crazy the first time you see it 😲. But the math says those hands are +EV when the blinds and antes are factored in. Without those charts, most players would fold too tight and miss value.
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2️⃣ The Problem With “Robot Poker” 🤖
Here’s where it gets tricky: Nash assumes your opponent is also playing Nash. But in real games, especially at low and mid stakes, people definitely don’t. They call way too tight in some spots and way too loose in others.
So if you follow Nash exactly, you might be shoving hands that are technically “correct,” but in practice, you’re just torching chips because your opponents don’t call the way the model assumes. For example, shoving 72s might technically work in a solver world, but against that old guy who calls every ace, it’s just lighting money on fire 😂.
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3️⃣ Exploit > Theory
That’s why I think of Nash ranges as a starting point, not the finish line. They’re like a map—you know the “mathematical road,” but you have to adjust based on who’s driving next to you.
Lately I’ve been diving into Nash equilibrium push/fold charts, and I wanted to share some thoughts about how useful (or not) they really are. For anyone who doesn’t know, Nash ranges basically show the “perfectly balanced” strategy for shoving or calling all-ins when stacks are short. They’re kind of like the math solution to preflop poker—if both players follow them exactly, neither can exploit the other. Sounds great, right? 😅
But here’s the thing… in practice, poker isn’t always about playing “perfect balance.” Let me explain 👇
---
1️⃣ The Value of Nash Ranges
First off, Nash charts are an amazing baseline. When you’re new to push/fold situations (like <10 BB in tournaments), they give you a clear picture of what hands are mathematically profitable to shove or call. No guessing, no overthinking—just math.
For example, according to Nash, you can shove some hands like K2s or Q5s in certain spots, which feels crazy the first time you see it 😲. But the math says those hands are +EV when the blinds and antes are factored in. Without those charts, most players would fold too tight and miss value.
---
2️⃣ The Problem With “Robot Poker” 🤖
Here’s where it gets tricky: Nash assumes your opponent is also playing Nash. But in real games, especially at low and mid stakes, people definitely don’t. They call way too tight in some spots and way too loose in others.
So if you follow Nash exactly, you might be shoving hands that are technically “correct,” but in practice, you’re just torching chips because your opponents don’t call the way the model assumes. For example, shoving 72s might technically work in a solver world, but against that old guy who calls every ace, it’s just lighting money on fire 😂.
---
3️⃣ Exploit > Theory
That’s why I think of Nash ranges as a starting point, not the finish line. They’re like a map—you know the “mathematical road,” but you have to adjust based on who’s driving next to you.
