Thursday 31 October 2013

Using Poker Odds Charts to Your Advantage

Ever watch Texas Hold’em on TV and wonder how certain poker players know when to throw away a hand that seems like it’s an absolute winner? You know what we’re talking about. They’re holding KQ, but they’ve been pushed in after the flop. They’ve got a pair of queens on the board, and it seems pretty solid. But instead of re-raising or calling that bet, they drop their cards.

There’s a possibility they could have taken it, but they bow out? And it turns out the other player had a hand that would have crushed them. Is the player psychic? Nope. They just understand poker odds.

Find out how good your hand is
A poker odds chart tells you how much you can call when you’re trying to complete a drawing hand. It’s particularly useful if you’re trying to make a flush or a straight flush. Using the chart, you can compare pot odds with the odds of getting the card that will complete your hand. After you know the pot odds, you can figure out whether it will be profitable to call certain raises or bets from other players.

There are a lot of complex poker odds charts that tell you exactly what you need to know for every hand situation, but if you’re playing in a live tournament, it might be difficult for you to memorize. So we recommend starting with something simple like an all-in hands probability odds chart.

Being pushed all-in happens a lot, especially if you’re a brand new player. With our all-in hands odds chart, you only have eight situations to remember. This chart explains your odds of winning pre-flop. That means before you see any cards.
Click to enlarge

Of course, once the cards hit the felt, the odds change. But if you’re faced with an all-in situation pre-flop, these odds can help you make the right decision.

We know what you’re thinking. How is this possible? If you’re dealt pocket kings, how could you possibly know that you’ve got an 80% chance of winning if you have no idea what the other guy has?

It’s simple. There’s only one possible hand that’s better—and that’s pocket Aces. If you can assume that your opponent doesn’t have that hand, then your odds of winning will be 80%. You’ll need to use other tactics like figuring out tells to be successful, but understanding the odds is a great place to start.

In the mood for some poker? Check out the video poker games at CasinoJR. You won’t play against other players, so there aren’t any odds to worry about. But you will have a great shot at winning thanks to video poker variations that pay you out—even with low ranking hands. There are tons of games available, so check them out.

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