How To Calculate Odds 6: Calculating Odds The Short Way
Calculating Odds The Short Way
When online poker rooms were launched not so long ago, an increasing number of people are getting keen on expanding their knowledge on the game. With many poker buffs playing for hard cash over the Internet through online poker rooms, any clever player would know that to win in a poker game, he should have an advantage over other players. With a vast player base, any beginner at online poker rooms would instantly be lost amidst the wide spectrum of players ranging from the experienced average players to several world-class poker professionals. Needless to say, beating these skilled players at their game is tough; any inept player would not last a couple of minutes in a game and would lose all the money he has in a snap if he is surrounded by pro gamers.
So before diving head on in a room-full of poker wizards, it is wise to equip yourself first with different poker strategies and techniques. Through the entire course of poker's journey to worldwide popularity, many strategies were developed and discovered by poker gurus to help those who are less endowed with the right poker skills in acquiring a better shot at winning. Simply put, these strategies are meant to improve the likelihood of winning of those who can't tell the difference between a straight and a flush. The last statement may be an exaggeration, but the point is, almost any poker player definitely needs a strategy to win.
A player taking part in a poker game without a strategy is like a soldier going to a war without a gun--- it's flat-out stupid. With so many poker helpful tips and hints all over the Internet, it's almost unlawful or sacrilegious for a player not to adopt one to aid him in his game play. Most poker prodigies did not attain their expert level by sheer luck alone. Of course, a stratagem always plays a big part in winning. Calculating odds is just one of the widely known strategies used by many poker players around the globe.
Knowing your odds is one step towards winning a pot--- it's that simple. Without knowledge of calculating your odds, it is almost like saying that you are solely depending on Lady Luck to determine your poker fate for you. And while many players still believe in luck, amulets, charms, and all those other voodoo things that promise to increase your chances of winning tenfold, sometimes, it is still better to rely on good, old mathematics to ensure your poker success.
But before you wear those upside-down smiles and conclude that you still need to resort to mind-numbing calculus-like formulas of integrations and derivatives and all those algebraic mumbo jumbo, there are actually easy (not to mention fast) ways of calculating your odds in a Texas Hold'em card game. Alright, this also requires a bit of mathematical cunning, but this one is less intricate than the long method of odds calculation that you may also encounter. You only need a couple of fractions and divisions to do the trick.
First you must recognize the number of outs still available for you on the deck. For example, the dealer handed you an Ace and a nine of the spade suit, and two more spade cards managed to turn up during the flop, then you still have nine cards or outs that you'll be able get to make up your flush. Nine because there are thirteen cards in the spade suit minus the two card you are holding (the Ace and the nine) and the other two on the flop. It's very basic subtraction, really.
After determining your outs, you can find out about your own hand odds by multiplying your outs by four. In the example, you have nine outs, multiplying it by four would render you the percentage on which you can hit a hand on the flop, which is 36%. By multiplying your outs by two, would give you the percentage that you'll get a hand on the turn. Applying this on the example, multiplying nine by two would get you the hand odds percentage of 18%. Easy, isn't it?
Converting those odds percentage into odds ratio is also easy, using the formula:
Odds = (100 / whole percentage) - 1
So if you have a 36% odds that you'll hit a hand on the flop, you will have a 2:1 odd ratio. This means that you'll get your hit 1 out of every three times.
Before you get too excited on trying this short odd calculation method, you should know that it takes plenty of practice to completely get the hang of subtracting and dividing in your head while still maintaining your poker face and focusing your mind on the game. Mastering this calculation method and its formula is really important, so if you don't want to lose big bucks on playing poker, practice, practice, and practice.
Although calculating your odds is easier done when you're playing online (with your handy calculator beside you), you still have to be pretty quick in computing so you can decide on your next move right away. And speaking of calculator, if you really can't get your brain around all these percentage, subtraction, division, and ratio stuff, there are always softwares available for download over the Internet that would make your life loads easier.
These computing softwares are the sure-fire easy and convenient way to weigh up your odds. Some of the more advanced applications does not even need an input from the user to calculate the odds. Once installed in a user's computer, it immediately works on the background whenever you play at your favorite online poker rooms, giving you only the results you need. They are can be really helpful if what you want is a trouble-free and ultra fast odds calculation. These nifty softwares come with a price, of course, so if you are the type who would readily shell cash for something that you'll be able do yourself in the first place, well, go ahead.
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