# Nash Equilibrium

> Source: [Nash Equilibrium in the Smarter.Poker Glossary](https://smarter.poker/glossary/nash-equilibrium)

## Definition
A Nash Equilibrium Is A Set Of Strategies In Which No Player Can Gain By Changing Their Own Strategy While The Others Stay The Same. In Two Player Zero Sum Games Such As Heads Up Poker, An Equilibrium Strategy Is Unexploitable. Poker Solvers Approximate It Closely, And That Output Is What Players Call A GTO Strategy.

- **Category**: Theory
- **Term Code**: `nash-equilibrium`
- **DefinedTermSet**: [Smarter.Poker Poker Glossary](https://smarter.poker/glossary)

## Related Poker Terms

- [GTO (Game Theory Optimal)](https://smarter.poker/glossary/gto) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/gto.md)): GTO, Or Game Theory Optimal, Describes A Strategy That Cannot Be Exploited, Because No Opposing Strategy Can Win Against It In The Long Run. In Poker It Approximates A Nash Equilibrium Computed By A Solver. Players Study GTO To Build A Sound Baseline, Then Adjust Away From It To Exploit The Specific Mistakes Of Real Opponents.
- [Mixed Strategy](https://smarter.poker/glossary/mixed-strategy) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/mixed-strategy.md)): A Mixed Strategy Plays The Same Hand In Different Ways At Set Frequencies, For Example Betting A Hand 60 Percent Of The Time And Checking It 40 Percent. Solvers Produce Mixed Strategies When Two Actions Have Nearly Equal Expected Value, And Mixing Keeps Each Line Balanced So An Opponent Cannot Read The Hand From The Action.
- [Exploitative Play](https://smarter.poker/glossary/exploitative-play) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/exploitative-play.md)): Exploitative Play Deliberately Departs From A Balanced Strategy To Win More Against A Specific Opponent's Mistakes, Such As Bluffing More Against A Player Who Folds Too Often. It Can Earn More Than Game Theory Optimal Play Against Weak Opponents, But It Opens You To Counter Exploitation If The Read Is Wrong Or The Opponent Adjusts.
- [Frequency](https://smarter.poker/glossary/frequency) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/frequency.md)): Frequency Is How Often A Player Takes An Action In A Given Spot Across Their Whole Range, For Example Betting 65 Percent Of The Time On A Particular Flop. Solvers Express Strategy As Frequencies Rather Than Fixed Rules, And Matching Sensible Frequencies Is What Keeps A Player Hard To Read And Hard To Exploit.

## Related Strategy Lessons

- [GTO Versus Exploitative Poker](https://smarter.poker/learn/gto-vs-exploitative) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/gto-vs-exploitative.md)): A Game Theory Optimal Strategy Is One No Opponent Can Beat In The Long Run, And An Exploitative Strategy Deliberately Departs From It To Win More Against A Specific Opponent's Mistakes; Strong Players Learn The First As A Baseline And Use The Second In Practice.

## Practice On Smarter.Poker

- [GTO Training](https://smarter.poker/hub/training): Scenario Based Poker Training, Free To Play.
- [Virtual Poker Table Sandbox](https://smarter.poker/features/virtual-poker-sandbox): Interactive Multi-Street Hand And Range Scenario Explorer.

## Compliance & Fair Play

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