Make your calculations after the flop. In Texas Hold’em, you’ll be dealt 2 cards. The dealer will then unveil 3 cards, called the flop, which all players can use to build the strongest hand possible. Base your calculations only on the facts available to you. Resist the inclination to make projections on what cards other players may be holding. For the purpose of accurately determining your chance of building a strong hand, only concern yourself with the cards you’re holding and the flop.
Nothing: If your hold cards are unsuited and lower than at least 1 of the cards in the flop, you have 6 outs to achieve a pair. For example, say you drew a 5 and a 9. Any of the 3 remaining 5’s or 9’s in the deck would give you at least a pair. Therefore, you’d have 6 outs for the turn and river. Pocket pair: If your hold cards are a low pair (meaning at least 1 of the flop cards is higher, possibly giving another player a higher pair than yours), you have only 2 outs to make 3 of a kind or better. 2 overcards: If you’re holding 2 cards, say an ace and a queen, that are higher than any of the 3 flop cards, you have 6 outs: the remaining 3 aces and queens. Flush draw: A flush draw occurs when your hold cards are suited and the flop contains 2 cards of that same suit. With 4 suited cards in your hand, and 13 cards per suit, you’ll have 9 outs to achieve a flush. Flush and open-straight draw: To illustrate this scenario, say you’ve drawn the jack and 10 of diamonds, and the flop is the 9 of spades, and the 8 and 4 of diamonds. You’re in a very advantageous position with 15 outs. Any diamond (9 outs for a flush) or any queen or 7, (6 outs total to complete the straight).
Divide the result by the number of cards remaining to find your hand percentage.
To find the hand percentage for a flush draw, subtract the number of outs from the number of cards remaining for the turn (47-9) and divide by 47. The quotient is 0. 81. For the river, subtract the outs (9) from the cards remaining (46) and divide the result by 46. This quotient is 0. 80. Multiply the 2 quotients. The result is 0. 65. Subtract 0. 65 from 1 to find the hand percentage. The result is 0. 35, meaning you have a 35 percent chance of getting a flush off a flush draw.
Express your hand percentage as a whole number. For example, 24 percent becomes 24. Divide 100 by this number. The result is 4. 17. Round the result to the nearest whole number, which in this example is 4. Subtract 1 to find the ratio. The hand odds in this example are 3-1.
After the flop, there is $50 in the pot. The first player raises $10. To stay in the game, you must match the raise, or “call” the bet. A $10 bet into a $50 pot represents pot odds of 5-1. Bet into the game if your hand odds are better (lower) than the pot odds. Otherwise, fold.
