Coin flips worth it on a cash table?

I've recently reached the point where I've become a consistent winner at low-limit, no-limit hold 'em, and my play is slowly become a consistent (albiet relatively small) source of income (small for now at least).

Now I'm at the point where I'm evaluating my game, and trying to find the "easiest" way to play and make money. Obviously, no matter how good you are, you can't just shut your eyes and go on auto pilot, but by "easy" I mean situations with little or no stress, waiting out the turn and river, etc.

One conclusion I've come to is that in the long run, "coin flip" situations may not be worth playing on cash tables.

Obviously, tournaments are a different story. There is value to be won beyond the chips in play, like knocking out an opponent and positioning yourself for a higher finish on the payscale.

On a cash table, there is nothing to be won besides the chips in play.

A fictitious hand here, but similar to one I've played recently:

Blinds are .50/1 and have been posted. Somebody goes all in with their last $10 in play. It's folded around to me - I'm holding AK suited. I correctly assume that both blinds will fold if I call, and I correctly assume that the raiser is a middle underpair (10s or 9s).

I figure I'm about 47% to win the pot and he's 53% (forgive me if I'm off a point or two). Ignoring the rake for the sake of simplicity, I'm making a $10 bet to win $11.50. That's expected value of +.10.

The conclusion I think I've come to is that this is a bet that may be correct to make, but the small positive result may be negated by some of the effects of losing this hand (which would happen frequently). The stress (relatively speaking) of waiting out the flop, the possibility of losing multiple coin flips in a row, tilting, etc.

To me, this is the same as if somebody offers me $20 an hour to dig ditches out in the heat or $19.90 an hour to work in an air conditioned office (no offense intended to anybody). I'd take the latter because the additional money may not be worth the added stress, soreness, etc.

This is a personal preference of mine, but is this really a tactical error in poker over the long run?

[DoomSlice]

I think you answered your own question -- this is a personal situation. If the .10 +EV is worth more than the negative effects of added stress, then take the flip. Otherwise don't do it. End of story.

[btetreau]

Hey Mike, welcome!

I guess I'd agree, if I feel close to positive that I'll probably be 50% with AK up against one other player at a cash game, who the player is for me can make a difference. If the player is good and/or aggressive, I'd rather keep their stack down because I tend to get weaker when I play against a bigger-than-buyin. However, if the player is pretty bad and losing chips, I'd be much more inclined to call because it will be easier to get that money off of them before they leave the table.

[theben]

if its just a little and theres a chances hes on AQ-J, KQ then why not?

also, you'll run into plenty of potential flop coinflips as well and you probably shouldnt back down on those

[Komodo]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Svar till:</font><hr />
if its just a little and theres a chances hes on AQ-J, KQ then why not?

also, you'll run into plenty of potential flop coinflips as well and you probably shouldnt back down on those

[/ QUOTE ]

Have to agree. The chance of him having AQ-J and KQ makes it too good to pass up.

[edge]

AKs is one of the top four hands as far as preflop all-ins. If someone goes all-in for 10 BB, folding is terrible. You're only crushed by one hand and behind one other. Against all other hands, you have at least something like 45% equity, and you're ahead of all unpaired hands. If he flips his hand and reveals TT, yeah, I guess folding isn't too bad, but in a normal situation folding is giving up too much.

[BigF]

duh