Pot odds is one of the most neglected aspects of Texas Holdem poker, especially by the beginner and intermediate player. Some poker beginners have heard the term and a few even have a basic concept of what pot odds are, but very few of these players know how to put them to good use in a poker game.
However knowing how to calculate and use pot odds is one of the crucial weapons that serious poker players have in their armory, one that most definitely separates them from the amateur.
Poker pot odds are often associated with complex mathematical calculations and the less serious player can feel overwhelmed at the prospect of tackling such a subject, but don?t fret, do you really think that to be a serious poker player you need to be a genius at mathematics? Do you think all the poker pros are?
Well of course the answer is that they are most definitely not all geniuses, but what they do have is a method of calculating the odds quickly and easily to see if they are in their favor in any given situation. So let?s look at a simple, basic way of calculating the odds, remember it needs to be quick and easy so that it can be worked out quickly and accurately in the heat and pressure of a poker game.
Poker pot odds can be broken down to this simple one liner:
?If the odds of you getting the card you need to make your hand are less than the pot odds, you should bet.?
There are two sides to this equation which I will try and explain, ?odds of you getting the card you need? and ?pot odds.? Firstly ?odds of you getting the card you need?, this one is fairly easy to understand. It?s best explained using the example of a flush or straight draw, so we?ll use a straight draw to illustrate it.
You?re in a Texas Holdem game and your pocket cards are Q T, the flop is J 4 9. In order to make a straight you need to get either a King or 8 on the turn or river so you have eight possible cards that can make your hand, four Kings and four 8s. These are known as your ?out? cards.
You?ve seen five cards out of the deck, your own two pocket cards and the three flop cards. That means there?s 47 cards you haven?t seen. So the odds of you getting the card you need are:
Cards that won?t help you : Cards that will help you
Out of the 47 remaining cards, eight of them will help you and 35 won?t, so the ?odds of you getting the card you need? are 35:8 or 4.375:1. Now for the pot odds.
The basic formula is:
The size of the pot : Amount you need to put into the pot.
So if the pot is sitting at $100 and you need to bet $20 to call, your pot odds are 100:20 or 5:1.
In this case the pot odds (5:1) are bigger than the odds of you getting the card you need (4.375:1) so you should call the bet. This is known as getting “value” for your bet. If you are doing these sums quickly you can think of 35:8 as being about four and a half to one, it?s good enough for a quick calculation.
This is a simplification of pot odds and there are other considerations like ? will the players after you in the round of betting add to the pot? This would make your bet an even better proposition as it would increase the pot odds but it is of course an unknown factor.
Understand pot odds and you will take your game forward to the next stage and prepare yourself for the poker big league.
Read more at Texas Holdem Poker and Poker beginners issues.
2008 saw 22 year old Peter Eastgate take the World Series of Poker championship, collecting just over $9million. It is almost inevitable now that we will see new younger players wanting a piece of the action at the poker table. the following is a few pointers on how to win, or at least get to the final few players left at the table in sit n go tournaments.
What are Sit n Go Tournaments?
Sit N Go Tournaments, or “SNG”, is a kind of poker tournament. Most of SNG tournaments are single table and can be found at 99% of online poker rooms. Unlike Freerolls which start at a specific time in the day they begin as soon as enough people are registered to the tournament. There are usually around 10 people at the table in a Sit n Go tournament.
Holdem Competitions are usually cheap, quick and available 24hours a day depending on the number of active players at a poker room.
Poker Tournaments are a great way for players to gain experience in bigger multi-table tournaments by simulating the final table. Your game plan for the final table should differ greatly from your normal poker play as there are less players. Most professionals say you should play more aggressively they fewer players there are at the table.
A slow start and fast finish is usually preferred by experienced players. This gives you more security in still being at the table with the final 4 or 5 players. Your aim in most Sit n Go’s is to finish in the final 3 places which is normally where the cash prizes are. Most online poker rooms guarantee at least 20% for 3rd place, 30% for 2nd place and 50% of the total prize money for finishing 1st.
Play cautious until you reach 3rd place and then get aggressive. Try to steal as many blinds as possible as at this point they will be high and can give your stack a much needed boost.
If you find yourself short stacked, wait for a good hand and go all in if against one or two players. Don’t call a big raise with J 7 off just because you don’t have many chips left. Your cards will come.
If your stack is above average then bully other players who have smaller stacks. Remember their small stack of chips is worth more to them than your big stack. They will be waiting for a big hand so this is a good time to steal their blinds away from them.
The more you play the more you will learn at Sit n Go’s. Surprisingly if you follow these simple rules you will find yourself finishing around the top three more often than not and making a good profit. Sit n Go tournaments are without a doubt my most biggest way of making a profit playing poker. I can’t say that I make more money off them than no limit ring games but for how much it costs me in buy ins and how much I win, the percentage is defiantly highest.
Good luck and stay focused and sensible, don’t tilt.
More poker tips, blog, forum, bonuses, links and more at http://www.HoldemTips.co.uk – You? online poker resource.
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