Aggression Frequency (AFq) is a poker statistic that measures the percentage of times a player makes an aggressive action (bet or raise) versus a passive action (call) when they put money in the pot voluntarily.
AFq specifically tracks how aggressive a player is when they choose to continue in a hand, making it more precise than general aggression stats. Unlike Aggression Factor (AF) which uses a ratio, AFq presents aggression as a percentage from 0% to 100%. A player with 60% AFq bets or raises 60% of the time when they put money in, and calls the other 40%.
The formula excludes folds and checks, focusing only on situations where the player commits chips. This makes it particularly useful for identifying whether a player tends to take control of pots or play more passively when involved.
How to Calculate Aggression Frequency (AFq)
The formula for AFq is:
AFq = (Bets + Raises) / (Bets + Raises + Calls) × 100
Here’s a simple example: Over 100 hands, a player bets 40 times, raises 20 times, and calls 40 times.
AFq = (40 + 20) / (40 + 20 + 40) × 100 = 60 / 100 × 100 = 60%
This player has an AFq of 60%, meaning they play aggressively 60% of the time when they put money in the pot.
When Does Aggression Frequency (AFq) Matter?
AFq becomes most valuable when you have a decent sample size on an opponent, typically at least 500 hands for reliable reads. Use it to adjust your strategy against specific player types and predict their likely actions in marginal spots.
Don’t Confuse With…
Aggression Factor (AF) calculates the ratio of aggressive to passive actions (bets + raises divided by calls), while AFq shows the percentage of aggressive actions. A player with AF of 3.0 has the same aggression level as someone with 75% AFq, just expressed differently.
Key Takeaway
Aggression Frequency (AFq) tells you what percentage of the time a player takes aggressive action when they put money in the pot. Players above 60% AFq tend to control pots and apply pressure, while those below 40% often play too passively and miss value.
