For those not so inclined, a poker table is brimming with opportunities and threats, and there are plenty of situations when the poker odds will be affected by a particular play.
A big part of this are poker outs, and it is something that can often be taken for granted by a poker player.
But what are they exactly? Well, to break it down for you, an out is any card that will improve your existing hand, so for example, it is common to see players count outs to see if they can make a great hand, such as a full house or nut straight.
In this guide, we will get to grips with the notions of poker outs, such as exploring pot odds, and the straight draw, and use some of our findings to present a poker odds chart for some outs.
Not all outs are the same as you will discover, so let’s get down to it then. In the following section, we will show you how poker outs can be used in Texas Hold’Em to turn a good hand and quash the drawing hand of your opponent.
OUT IN POKER AS PART OF POKER STRATEGY
As we have touched upon above, not all outs are the same, but you will need to adopt a certain strategy to play suited cards and gain what is known as the absolute nuts which will trump your opponent’s hand.
Of course, you can get good odds with a bet if you have a strong hand when you go all in, but you shouldn’t leave everything to chance in the long run to have the best hand.
As such, we have run through a couple of strategies that are worth thinking over when it comes to counting outs.
These by the way are not fail proof, but they will give you a better idea of how to establish the number of outs for any game, especially if you aren’t entirely sure what cards in the deck are remaining.
Use disguised hands
Sometimes in poker, you may encounter the double gutter which is more often referred to as the double gut shot.
You could therefore be holding a JT or an AQ8, for example, on the board, however, you will need that 9 or K to make a straight flush.
That said, a double gutter isn’t always easy to spot, but to bolster poker outs in your favour, experienced poker players may tend to be more subtle when showing their hand come the turn or river as they may be able to hit a winning hand.
Call when in position
The pot odds for any given game will have a risk/reward ratio, but part and parcel of mastering poker is to be in the best possible position after the flop, such as for the turn or river.
If you fold before the flop or are too aggressive if out of position after the flop, then there is a strong chance that you won’t hit the best hand in the long run.
Be aware of double counted outs
Double counted outs can be a nightmare for poker players trying to work outs or total outs in any given game.
For example, with big straight draws and flush draws, you will see that there are nine outs to the flush, while the straight will have 8 outs in comparison.
However, there will be two outs that will need to be removed, so instead of 17 outs (9 flushes and 8 straight), we will now have 15 outs for the flush draw — 7 flush and 8 straight or 9 flush and 6 straight.
As such, the double counting outs will need to be removed from the flush draw to create any confusion, otherwise, they could have an impact on a bet made and the poker odds for games. In poker, just one card can make all the difference.
HOW TO COUNT OUTS IN POKER?
A card that turns a draw into a made hand is called an out, and depending on what two cards you hold will affect how many outs there are, and ultimately, how much money you will walk away with.
Working out how to hit on an out can be done following these simple steps:
Step 1 – Work out the number of outs or how many cards there are that you need to complete an inside straight draw or open ended straight draw.
Step 2 – Then, divide the number of your outs by the number of cards that might appear in a post flop stage.
To use a real example, if your opponent has 44, and you have a 9 of Hearts, 8 of Hearts, Ten of Hearts, 5 of Suits, 3 of Hearts, and 7 of Spades on the board, you will have two remaining cards that are deemed to be two overcards.
There will be 3 outs for the 9 and 3 outs for the 8 for a total of 6.
With the J and 6 to finish off the straight, this will combine for more than seven outs (8 to be more precise!).
Of course, if you double count outs, then the possible outs will come to 22, as you will have counted the 6 of Hearts and Jack of Hearts in the flush draw.
In the following section, we will look more at poker odds concerning equity for how many outs you can make.
HOW TO CALCULATE EQUITY WITH MORE THAN NINE OUTS?
A good example to calculate equity with nine outs or more, is if you have the following hand: 8 of Hearts and 7 of Hearts on the flop along with Ace of Hearts, 10 of Hearts, and 3 of Spades which will represent a flush draw.
Having a flush draw would represent a very strong hand here, and to work out the odds, you will need to divide the number of outs by the total number of turn cards.
As we know, a deck will contain 52 cards, whereby you will be aware of the five cards which will be the ones you are holding as well as the other three that are in the flop.
So the odds of getting a flush come the turn or the river can be worked out as follows: 9/47 = 0.19 x 100 = 19% or 4/1 in terms of poker odds.
Therefore to hit an out in Texas Hold’Em will be one in every five. The following table shows the potential odds for making a hit, such as pocket aces.
Poker odds chart (Odds and Outs)
| Outs | Flop to Turn (Odds) | Flop to River (odds) | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 46/1 | 22.5/1 | Backdoor flush draw |
| 12 | 3/1 | 1/1 | Flush draw + gutshot |
| 13 | 2.5/1 | 1/1 | OESD + pair |
| 14 | 2/1 | 1/1 | Flush draw + OESD |
FLUSH DRAW ON THE FLOP
The odds of making a flush on the flop will ultimately depend on the starting hand you have, and it requires having two suited cards that are already in the hole.
When you flop a flush draw, you will have four cards that will form a flush. With nine outs, in terms of odds, there is a 19.1% chance that you will make your flush on the turn.
But when you flop on an open ended straight draw, the odds or probability of making a successful bet, for example, rises to 35.1%.
TYPES OF OUT IN POKER
Poker, as you might have figured out by now, has many outs, and those who are great at counting outs, will reap the rewards.
We have outlined the main types of outs, and explained how they can help you win more money with a successful bet.
DIRTY OUTS
Sometimes, a player won’t know if a card is a potential out when they have placed a bet.
A dirty out can be described as a card that may or not provide an out, such as helping to assemble a top pair or a full house with the remaining aces on the table.
And for any poker hand, there are a wide range of dirty outs that you can use to calculate odds of landing a particular hand. For example, if an opponent was trying to form a straight and flush, and needed a 3 or 8, then the straight and flush would be completed by landing 3 and 8 of Spades which would prompt a win.
HALF OUTS
Partial or half outs can be useful if you want to win and get the better of your opponent. Most players, for example, will have at the forefront of their minds that nine outs equate to a flush draw, and use that to decide whether the odds will weigh in their favour during the latter stages, such as the river.
But with half outs, you may hold 6 of Hearts and 5 of Hearts. Knowing there are thirteen cards in the deck, and you can see four of them, two on the board, and two in your hand, the odds work out your chances of getting a hearts flush and win with the best hand.
HIDDEN OUTS
Hidden outs are like a red herring as they won’t immediately help your hand, but they could have a big impact on the drawing hands of your opponent, and whether they can make a pair or two pair for example to win.
So, for example, you might hold two aces of different suits, a five of Spades, 6 of Clubs, 9 of Diamonds, and a King of Hearts, while your opponent has a 6 of Clubs and 5 of Diamonds.
But come the river, you could be saved by the Ace of Diamonds or Ace of Spades, and end up countering what your opponent has to come away with the win.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE OUT AND POT ODDS
The out odds represent your chances of completing a hand, such as a top pair or two pair from unseen cards, whereas the pot odds take a more wide ranging view of the game.
Indeed, the pot odds will represent your chances of winning money after the river card has been revealed.
EXAMPLES OF OUT IN POKER
Let’s now look at a few examples of the types of cards you can land for various outs.
EXAMPLE 1
An open-ended straight draw will contain 8 outs. The odds of making it at the turn are 5/1. For example, a King of Hearts, 4s, 3 of Clubs, a 6 of Hearts, and a 5 of Hearts will be the winning card in this sequence.
EXAMPLE 2
A flush draw is one of the most iconic in poker, and it has nine outs. For example, a four flush containing King of Clubs, will hold the key to success.
EXAMPLE 3
In Texas Hold’Em, the most outs will be 21. The odds of getting an open ended straight, or flush, stand at 1.24/1.
HOW MANY OUTS CAN WE USE TO BET?
This will depend on which version is played, but for Texas Hold’Em, the maximum number of outs available will be 21.
CONCLUSION
The out in poker is a fundamental aspect underpinning the game, and if you can distinguish between poker outs, you will be better placed to win more games.
We advise you to apply the tips and advice for counting outs in this guide in the future to improve your gameplay.
What are anti-outs in poker?
These improve your hand, but at the same, they strengthen the hand of your opponent simultaneously.
Can every card in a deck be an unseen card?
No, some cards will be held by the player at the table, while others will be hidden in the deck.
Why multiply x2 the number of outs on the turn?
This is the basic tenet of rule 2 & 4. You will multiply by 2 if you have one card to come.
Why multiply x4 the number of outs on the flop?
As part of the rule 2 & 4, you will multiply the number of outs by 4 if you are waiting to receive 2 cards.
Do outs always improve made-hand draws?
Most players will know how many outs are required to complete a hand, and on the whole, they generally will if played in position.