Counting Outs in Texas Hold'em

Many new poker players find it very difficult to win pots because they always fail to calculate their odds and outs during game play. In poker, each hand dealt to you has a likelyhood of developing into a strong hand and win pots effectively. Although it is not recomended to play each and every hand dealt, making use of strategies and calculating your odds & outs can certainly give you a winning edge during game play. In this article, i will outline various ways on how to calculate your outs effectively and win large pots.

During game play, you should be able to count your outs quickly and include your call action so that players do not read your game style easily. You should be able to decive your opponnets and this includes play a game with a good starting hand. Counting your outs during game play can be very difficult at time and you need to react fast beacuse your opponents may notice that the hand you are holding is not very strong.

For example, you have been dealt with 2/7 (the hammer), most players tend to avoid such a hand and it is known as one of the wierd poker hands, but others tend to bet aggresively when dealt with 2/7. The probability of such a hand developing into a strong hand is very slight and at times it may never yield anything at all. If 2/7 is suited, the chances of it developing to a flash or a straight can be minimal at times. The majority of poker professionals when dealt with such a hand tend to fold it, but others would bet and play aggresively with it. Calculating your outs becomes easy during the flop and this is the time when you have to decide whether to continue with your hand or simply fold it.

During the flop, a good starting hand that shows a singnificant chance of improvement can certainly improve at later stages to be a strong hand. For example, when dealt with K/J and the flop shows (K,J,T). This means that you are now holding a high two pair and your outs could be a hand developing to a full house, straight or three-of-a-kind. Therefore, you can proceed to play aggresively, but you should also look at your odds and the way your players are betting.

Counting outs can also be influenced by the way your opponents make their call action. If your opponents where not raising during flop (K-J-T) and suddenly on the turn is shows (K-J-T-T) and one of your opponents changes his game style to tight aggresive then you should know that the odds of him or her holding a Three-of-a-kind is high. When this has happended, how do you make you call action? With another T being included on the board, this means that your outs have been altered and there is now a slight chance of you hitting a strong hand and the only posible strong hand to come along your way is a three-of-a-kind. If you are playing with professionals you simply have to fold your hand when this happens because of their betting action taking place.

Suppose if the turn shows (K-J-T-A), this means that you are now close in hitting a straight and this will be considered a high straight. Thus with your outs, your hand is capable of developing to a three-of-a-kind and a high straight and there are great chances of you winning the pot. Your betting action should not change but rather keep calm and continue as usual because the moment you change your style of play including your betting action, it will force your opponnets to fold their hands and you will only get to win a small pot. You betting action should change during the river.

Even when you are now holding a straight or the hand did not develop into a strong hand, according to how your ooponents where playing, with your hand being a two pair, you can bet aggresively during the last round and the chances of you winning the pot will still be great because you are holding a high two pair.

Counting outs should be done quickly and your betting action should also be implemented smoothly during game play.