• Common Poker Hand Odds For Today
• Common Poker Hand Odds Calculator
• Common Poker Hand Odds
• Common Poker Hand Odds Against
• Common Poker Hand Odds Chart

Are you good at math? Hmm, thought so. Neither am I.

Common Poker Hand Odds For Today

For many poker players, doing math calculations is the last thing on their mind when they sit down at the felt. They're there to play and have fun!

Still, poker is more fun when you win, and it helps to know the winning potential of starting cards. Remember, there's a reason for the saying, 'Never draw to an inside straight.'

Because figuring percentages in your head would slow down the game, should you bring a pocket calculator to the table? No way!

Fortunately, some situations repeat quite often in Texas hold 'em, and it's easy to memorize the math involved. Once that's done, you can concentrate on everything else going on at the table.

1. I'm assuming you're talking about Texas Hold 'Em, since that's the most popular game right now. I found this online, and it is roughly accurate, from my anecdotal evidence (maybe 10,000 hands) and my memory.
2. The poker odds are in your favor. Now if your opponent bet $100 that would be a much dicier proposition. Suddenly you are risking $100 to win $200 and the odds are 200-100, or simplified, 2-1. Since you’re only 6-1 to make your hand you should probably fold.

Today, let's re-examine the math of some common hold 'em situations originally listed in a 2006 LuckyDog Poker column:

Common Mistakes Using Odds. As a regular cash game or tournament player, it is important that you are familiar with the mathematics of poker. This involves working out the odds of each situation so that you can determine what the most profitable action will be.

— Being dealt any pocket pair in the hole — 6 percent (one in 17) chance. Getting A-A, K-K, Q-Q, or J-J as your starting hole cards — 1.8 percent (one in 56).

— Improving any pocket pair to trips on the flop — 12 percent (one in eight). If you don't make trips on the flop, there's a 9 percent (one in 11) chance of doing so on the turn and river cards.

— A no-pair starting hand improving to a pair on the flop (either card) — 32 percent (one in three).

— Completing an open-ended straight after the flop — 34 percent (one in three). For instance, you hold 10-9, the flop is J-8-2, and the last two cards are 4-7.

— Being dealt suited hole cards (two spades of any rank, for example) — 24 percent (one in four). Being dealt suited connectors such as Q-J of hearts — 4 percent (one in 25).

— Hitting two cards of your suit on the flop — 11 percent (one in nine). Completing a flush after two cards of your suit come on the flop — 39 percent (one in 2.6).

— Being dealt A-K to start — 1.2 percent (one in 83). With A-K in the pocket, hitting an ace or king by the river — 50 percent (one in two).

These numbers identify your chances of receiving certain starting cards and hitting specific hands, but that's not the whole story. Knowing these percentages allows you to calculate 'pot odds,' which gives you a mathematical reason for staying or folding.

For example, let's say after the flop you have an open-ended straight draw with a 34 percent (one in three) chance of making the straight by the end of the hand — 17 percent (one in six) chance of hitting on the turn card, plus 17 percent again to hit on the river.

Common Poker Hand Odds Calculator

In this case, as long as there is five times as much in the pot as the amount you must put in on a single bet, you're getting sufficient pot odds to stay in. In low-stakes limit games, calling usually is automatic. In no-limit, however, an opponent's big bet often negates your odds and you should fold.

Now, about those inside straight draws: Is it true you should 'never draw to an inside straight?' Actually, no!

Sure, most of the time you should fold because the chances of hitting your straight on the next card are slim (11 to one against). But on rare occasions, you'll have the proper pot odds to make the draw. Do the math!

E-mail your poker questions and comments to [email protected] for use in future columns. To find out more about Russ Scott and read previous LuckyDog Poker columns, visit creators.com or luckydogpoker.com.

Common Poker Hand Odds

Our common flop odds chart shows the exact odds of flopping specific hand or draw types with various hole card groupings in Texas Holdem.

Remember that every mistake you make preflop will only be magnified on later streets. The chart below clearly shows that playing weak hole cards (for example three gapped connectors) will rarely give you the best hand on the flop.

This is why you should play only a narrow range of the best hole cards and fold everything else. It is especially important when you are a beginner. The more weak hands you play, the more money you will lose in the long term.

Common flop odds chart

More articles on poker probability:

Common Poker Hand Odds Against

Poker odds calculator
Poker outs and odds
Pot odds and expected value
Sklansky bucks
Implied odds
Reverse implied odds
Poker hand probability chart
Common flop odds chart
Pocket pairs - flopping overcards odds

Common Poker Hand Odds Chart

Go back to the Online Poker Strategy.