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Fundamentals

Variance

Variance describes the statistical measure of how much your results deviate from your expected value over a given sample. In poker, even the best players can experience long losing streaks due to variance. Understanding variance is crucial for bankroll management, emotional control, and evaluating whether results reflect skill or luck. Higher variance strategies (like aggressive bluffing) require larger bankrolls.

Example

Getting AA cracked three times in a row is variance — the plays were correct but the short-term results were negative.

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