Free Online Poker Lesson On How To Work Out Poker Odds On the Fly Under Pressure

Most poker players, free online poker in particular, don't like the "technical" parts of poker like odds. After all doing odds means doing math and many of us prefer not to go there!

Regrettably it is a fact that to ensure success in poker this is a key area of the game that you have to master, especially if you have any aspirations to play live money games.

The biggest problem is that the formula for doing odds is pretty complex and to do it in your head on the fly under pressure you do need to be pretty hot at math.

As an example ,:

You have 8-7 and the Flop is 5-6-A. You want to figure the probability on hitting your Straight later.

If you use a rigorous mathematical solution, you'll formulate this monster:

You need certain cards to help you do this - Known as "outs" In this case for a straight you need 4 and 9. There are upto 8 such cards left in the deck. The probability of your hitting them later is P (1-P)Q, where P is the probability of hitting your hand on the Turn, and Q is the probability you will hit on the river. It is P (1-P)Q because (1-P)Q is the probability that you will hit on the river if you don't complete your hand on the Turn.

Now here's the values for P and Q.

- P = 8 cards still on the deck that will help you divided by 52-5 = 47 remaining cards = 8/47.
- Q = 8 cards still on the deck that will help you, since you didn't complete on the Turn divided by 52-6 (since there are six cards already out, your hole cards and the Board) = 8/46.

The complete answer is 8/47 (1 - 8/47)(8/46) = .170 (.829)(.174) = .170 .144 = .314 = 31%. You've got a 31% chance of hitting your Straight later.

Ouch, that's fun and beyond most of us! However, in a table you usually do not have a calculator (and even if you do you still need to know what to input into it .

And many poker players just know the outs, but not really much of basic probability theory. How is this? An out by the way is any unseen card that, if drawn, will increase your hand win chances.

Here then is a much more basic, easy way to work out odds

Let's try an approximation formula:

- You divide 8 by 50, because 47 is close to 50, and get 16.

- Double it again so you get .32.

- It's a reliable estimate.

- After all, poker players, in games, don't need exact solutions; they want only a hint as to where they're standing.

- In this case "about 32%" is a nice enough answer.

So, in the Flop, here is the approximation:

- Get the amount of your outs, then multiply it by 4, then affix a percent sign.

- This is a reliable approximation percentage of your hitting the hand.

- In the Turn, if you still have outs, multiply it by 2, then affix a percent sign.

- Preflop, when you choose to push all-in, you usually do not need to do that since you will rely mainly on pure hand strength.

The best way by far to perfect your odds skills is to play poker online for free at http://www.NoPayPOKER.com, there you can get it wrong a hundred times and never lose money! Yes, you can always use odds calculators and many are available for online poker but if you want to play live you need to learn to do it the hard way, so get learning if you have any ambition to move beyond free online poker and win serious cash!