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Poker is a game of mathematics. Regardless of whether you play online card games or online, to ensure making the best possible decision, you must know what are pot odds and how to calculate them.
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Overview Poker is a game of mathematics. Regardless of whether you play online card games or online, to ensure making the best possible decision, you must know what are pot odds and how to calculate them. You can find out the possibility of getting the cards you need to complete a hand during the betting rounds by calculating pot odds. It is the ratio between your potential winning and your investment. It helps you estimate the expected value (potential results of a scenario) of the hand and decide whether to wager money in the pot or fold the hand.
Ratio Method Total size of the pot = opponent’s bet (cost of the call)+ amount already in the pot. Example - In a heads-up game, you are holding King and 9 of hearts. The flop shows 2 and 5 of hearts and 10 of clubs. The total outs you have to form a flush (as per Poker sequence rules) are 9 as four hearts are already open out of total 13 cards. There is Rs. 2000 in the pot and your opponent bets Rs. 500. To decide whether to call or not, you need to calculate Pot Odds and Card Odds. Pot Odds calculation- Size of the pot = Rs. 2500 (2000+500) Amount to call (size of the bet)= Rs. 500 Pot Odds = 2500:500 = 5:1 Card Odds calculation: Total cards in a standard deck = 52 Seen cards = 5 ( 2-hole cards + 3 community cards) Unseen cards = 52-5 = 47 Cards not required = 47-9 = 38 Card odds (the chances of getting a heart card on the turn or river round)= 38:9= 4:1 As Pot odds are higher than card odds, the possibility of making a profit, in the long run, is higher. In this situation, it is advisable to call the opponent’s bet to see the turn and river.
Percentage Method Example - You have 6 of Spades and 10 of Hearts. Flop comes 8 and King of Spade and 2 of Club. The pot is of Rs. 1000 and your opponent wagers Rs. 500. To calculate odds through percentage method, you need to add the call amount to the pot. Pot Odds Calculation: Size of the pot = 1000+500+500(call amount) = 1500 Pot odds= 500/1500 = 0.33 = 33%
Card Equity Calculation The total outs = 15 (10 cards of Spades + two 10s + three 6s) Method 1: Using the Rule of Two and Four - 15x2=30% Method 2: Total cards = 52 Seen cards = 5 ( 2 hole cards + 3 community cards) Unseen cards = 52-5 = 47 Probability of getting an out = 15/47 = 0.31 = 31% Method 3 - Double the outs and add 1 Total Outs = 15 15x2 = 30 Cards equity = 30+1 = 31% The chance of forming the hand is 31% which means you should call only up to 31% of the current size of the pot. As your call percentage is 33%, it is better to fold your cards and wait for the next hand.
Are pot odds important? Your knowledge of probability concepts can help you make great profits at Poker tables. Pot odds provide you clarity in your thoughts and helps you understand the situation better. Poker is an ‘easy-to-learn’ game. If you are a beginner, there is a lot of learning material available online in the form of Poker wiki, blogs, forums, articles, video tutorials, etc to help you understand the fundamentals of the game. So don’t wait! If you are looking for the perfect game to challenge your observation and logical reasoning, create an online account on a Poker site to utilize your skills and game knowledge to outsmart opponents at the tables and win fabulous cash prizes.
References • https://www.adda52.com/poker/poker-skills/pot-odds • https://www.adda52.com/blog/poker-strategy-tips • https://www.adda52.com/poker/poker-skills/mathematics • https://www.adda52.com/poker/poker-pro-tips-and-strategies/poker-equity