four live bet

Measure of the health of a player's chip stack in poker

In no-limit or pot-limit poker,

a player's M-ratio (also called 🌻 "M number", "M factor"[1] or just "M") is a measure of

the health of a player's chip stack as a 🌻 function of the cost to play each round. In

simple terms, a player can sit passively in the game, making 🌻 only compulsory bets, for

M laps of the dealer button before running out of chips. A high M means the 🌻 player can

afford to wait a high number of rounds before making a move. The concept applies

primarily in tournament 🌻 poker; in a cash game, a player can in principle manipulate his

M at will, simply by purchasing more chips.

A 🌻 player with a low M must act soon or be

weakened by the inability to force other players to fold 🌻 with aggressive raises.

The

term was named after Paul Magriel.

Calculation [ edit ]

The M-ratio is calculated by

the formula:

M = stack 🌻 small blind + big blind + total antes {\displaystyle M={\frac

{\mbox{stack}}{{\mbox{small blind}}+{\mbox{big blind}}+{\mbox{total antes}}}}}

For

example, a player in an eight-player 🌻 game with blinds ofR$50/$100, an ante ofR$10, and

a stack ofR$2,300 has an M-ratio of 10:

M = 2300 50 + 🌻 100 + ( 10 × 8 ) = 2300 230 = 10

{\displaystyle M={\frac {2300}{50+100+(10\times 8)}}={\frac {2300}{230}}=10}

That is,

if the 🌻 player only makes the compulsory bets, he will be "blinded out" of the game in

10 rounds, or 80 hands.

Dan 🌻 Harrington studied the concept in great detail in

Harrington on Holdem: Volume II The Endgame, [2] defining several "zones" in 🌻 which the

M-ratio may fall:[3]

Zone name M-ratio "Optimal" strategy Green zone M ≥ 20 Most

desirable situation, freedom to play 🌻 conservatively or aggressively as you choose[4]

Yellow zone 10 ≤ M < 20 Must take more risks,[3] hands containing small 🌻 pairs and small

suited connectors lose value Orange zone 6 ≤ M < 10 Main focus is to be first-in

🌻 whatever you decide to play, important to preserve chips Red zone 1 ≤ M < 6 Your only

move is 🌻 to move all-in or fold Dead zone M < 1 You are completely dependent on luck to

survive. The only 🌻 move is to push all-in into an empty pot

Effective M [ edit

]

Harrington further develops the concept to account for 🌻 shortening tables, as is seen

at the closing stages of multi-table tournaments. The M-ratio is simply multiplied by

the percentage 🌻 of players remaining at the table, assuming a ten-player table to be

"full". [5]

M Effective = M × ( Players 🌻 10 ) {\displaystyle

M_{\mbox{Effective}}=M\times \left({\frac {\mbox{Players}}{10}}\right)}

Therefore, for

a player with a "simple M ratio" of 9 at a five player 🌻 table, the effective M is 4.5:

M

Effective = 9 × ( 5 10 ) = 4.5 {\displaystyle M_{\mbox{Effective}}=9\times \left({\frac

{5}{10}}\right)=4.5}

This 🌻 means that although the player's simple M value places him in

the orange zone, his effective M dictates a shift 🌻 in playing style appropriate for the

red zone. In essence, ten times the effective M denotes the expected number of 🌻 hands a

player can let pass before running out of chips.

See also [ edit ]