iPoker and Blackjack:
Texas Hold'em - Strategy - Flop
After you look at your two starting hole-cards and realize there can be 169 different combinations of them, now it’s necessary to analyze the flop.
Firstly, if during the flop only low cards came out ( such as 2-4-5 or 4-7-8) and a player holds two high hole-cards (such as a pair of Aces or Kings or Queens), then he usually feels stronger and he believes to be automatically advantaged against his opponents. But it’s not always true. He could meet other opponents who have adopted a slow play phase. They didn’t reraise during the preflop avoiding to expose themselves because at the beginning they held a low pairs (i.e., 2-2) or weak cards (i.e., 4-7) but these hands could be changed in a three of a kind and in a two pair at the end of the first round.
In that case, if you have a strong pair and there are only low cards on the boards, I suggest you to act cautiously betting and studying the opponents behaviour. In fact, if you call or raise you could persuade a high hole-cards possessor to fold.
As regards middle hole-cards (such as 8-8 or 9-9), if during the flop many higher-value cards than yours are being dealt, then be careful! In fact, if an opponent player reraise after a flop showing cards such as a King or a Ace on the board, that should mean he holds such a pair.
An other important aspect to consider during the flop is the flush. Player who have a strong hole cards pair should be wary when there are three suited cards on the board during this phase. In that case, there would be a large probability (the more the players, the larger the probability) that someone could have two of that suited cards. At this point, the best move is to fold immediately. The play is right even if it’s subsequently burned.
Finally, I suggest you to avoid to test yourself trying to realize straight and full house when you are still in preflop phase. Starting hand should be carefully analyzed so you won’t be disillusioned later on.
Outs
With the flop phase, play is ending and so the chances of getting better decrease. Although between the Turn and the River two other cards must be dealt, there are less chances to get a better hand. In this case, outs have an important role. They represent cards that could improve a hand.
After the fold is dealt, one of these three following chances could happen: a two of a pair: to get a Full, the player must have 4 outs. He has a 16,5% of chance to get a Full; a flush draw: the player has 9 outs (13 less the 4 cards face up – two in his hand and two on the board) – he has a 35% of chance to get the Flush; a straight draw: the player has 8 outs. He has a 31,5% of chance to get a Straight. If the requisite cards don’t come out during the Turn, the chances halved.
Odds
Odds are important elements too. They’re used to calculate the ratio between risk and result or, more exactly, the ratio between the chance of winning and the level of risk express in chips. The concept of odds relates the outs with the amount of chips to risk as well.
Having a straight 8 outs, so 8 cards out of 47 (52 cards less the 3 cards of the Flop and the 2 hole-cards), the ratio is 8/47 that means 8 winnings and 39 losses. If we suppose there would be 3000 chips on the pot, the opponent player should bet 750 chips to make the risk more “tasty”. If he bet 1500 chips then the risk would be too high.
To discover your chances of winning when you hold determinate hole cards, I reproduce below a calculator of probability. It’s necessary to select the number of players and their cards. Then you have to click on “calculate” to obtain the percentage of win during the preflop. Then, once you have selected the three flop cards, you can calculate the probability of win with the threes resultant cards. Finally, you can select the turn cards and then calculate. I suggest to try more and more again so you can get a widely and clear picture of all the possible and different combinations.
