How To Calculate
Outs and Pot Odds
Calculating outs (the number of cards that could improve your hand)
and pot odds (ratio of the money in the pot versus the amount required to
make your next call) is often used as a basis for a Texas Holdem Poker player on
whether to draw and try to make their hand.
However this in my opinion should not be the sole basis of your decision on
whether you should draw for another card.
You also have to decide on whether the hand that you are trying to hit will win
you the pot or not.
How to calculate pot odds:
In this example, if the current pot contains $80, and the amount required at the
next call is $20, the pot is laying you odds of $80 to $20 or 4 to 1.
As long as your odds of making the best hand are 4 to 1 or better than making
the call is the right move. A hand that is 4 to 1 means that you will hit once
in every 5 tries. You will hit the draw 20 percent of the time.
This next example takes into account calculating pot odds and outs.
Assume that your hole cards are a six and a seven (for this example suits do not
matter) and the flop came down 8-9-3.
In order to complete your hand you need a 5 or 10. You have eight outs – 4-5’s
and 4-10’s. Multiply your outs (8) by 4 and you get 32. You have a 32 percent
chance of making your hand. If there was only one card left to draw you would
multiply by two.
A 32 percent chance of making your hand means you have a 68 percent chance of
NOT making your hand. This is roughly 2 to 1 that you won’t make the hand. So,
as long as the pot contains $2 for every $1 that you have to call, it is worth
going after your straight. Doing these quick calculations and interpreting them can be very difficult and
confusing for a beginner (and many advanced players as well!). But I would
recommend that you at least be able to quickly calculate your outs to give you
an idea of just how likely you are to make your hand.
Then decide if that hand will win the pot for you or not. |
