Nash Equilibrium (GTO)

What is Nash Equilibrium (GTO)?

Nash Equilibrium (called 'GTO' in poker) is a strategy where neither player can improve by changing their play, assuming the opponent plays perfectly. A GTO player cannot be exploited — they might lose to better players who make mistakes less often, but no opponent can gain an edge by knowing their strategy.

Why it matters

GTO gives a guaranteed minimum EV — no opponent can exploit you below it. Against suboptimal opponents, GTO passively exploits their mistakes without requiring you to identify specific leaks.

GTO requires mixed strategies at equilibrium — sometimes playing the same hand differently at random frequencies so opponents cannot read your range perfectly.

Nuance and caveats

In NLH, individual hands are played in the most profitable way possible at equilibrium. Mixed strategies only arise when multiple actions have identical EV — the indifference principle.

GTO does not involve 'balance for its own sake' — every action in a GTO strategy maximizes EV for that specific hand given opponent's range. True equilibrium requires solving the full game tree; human approximations use heuristics derived from solver outputs.

Key takeaway

GTO strategy — unexploitable, maximally exploiting any deviation.