-EV Rivershoves

If you have AA, and your opponent has KK, and you lose, you didn't lose as a 4-1 favorite. You actually only lost a coinflip.

This is because both of you would play it the same exact way if the hands were reversed.

If you were ahead and lost, you aren't horribly unlucky because you were lucky to be ahead in the first place.

Same Should Apply if You lose a Tournament after calling with AA vs 22 or AK vs AJ if you are in a situation where you woulda pushed if you were your opponent too. You only lost a coinflip.

So when coolers like the dreaded AA vs. KK happen you should think of it as a coinflip regardless of who wins.



Of course things change if one of the players can play the hand differently.