Calculating odds in Texas Hold’em may seem like a mountain to learn if you’re not a mathematician, but it isn’t as tough as many think. Calculating your outs is as easy as counting the cards that would give you a hand that would beat the current nut hand someone may be holding.

If you hold A, K of hearts, and there are two hearts on the board, you have nine possible outs to make the flush. Some outs are not true outs, as in the situation where an opponent may have two pair, and if your flush card comes it may give an opponent a bigger full house.

You take the number of outs and calculate that number against the number of cards left in the deck. Simply:
Total Outs
Remaining Cards

The remaining cards are always all the cards other than yours and the board, like you were playing alone.

Kickers are very important in the game of poker. Often two players will have a pair of the highest card on the board, usually an Ace or King. The other card in their hand is their kicker, and unless the board cards are bigger than these kickers, they will come into play in the hand. That’s why it’s important to play two big cards pre-flop; weak kickers will cost you lots of money in a tight game.

If the kickers don’t come into play, then the hand is a tie – a “chop” in poker terms. Chops happen most often when the board has paired and there is another big card out there. A common chop is two players with an Ace and a low kicker. The board cards will often be bigger than the kickers. Other common chops include boards that have made big hands like a straight or flush or trips, omitting the player’s cards.

The showdown is when two or more players complete all the betting rounds and the cards are turned over to see who has won. Only a percentage of your hands are going to make it to showdown; many you will pick up when everyone else folds or you will muck out yourself. Sessions will vary, but my play usually produces numbers between 15% and 25% of the hands in which I see the flop going to the showdown. That’s a lot of my play, so I want to have a high showdown winning percentage.

The showdown percentage can even be below 50% and still produce a winning session if you’re picking up enough uncontested pots. Showdown percentages are higher for players with a tight style, and often low for maniac or very aggressive style players who earn their bets through a higher uncontested pot winning percentage.

It’s a rare occasion that I would show a fold in hold’em. Giving away information is never a good idea, and there are some serious repercussions that could occur by doing this.

If it’s a big hand, you run the risk of showing your opponent that you mucked the best hand, and that player can remember how you acted with a second-best type of hand.

I can think of only two situations where I might show a muck:

1. If I’m absolutely sure that particular opponent has me beat, and I think it might affect his play if I show a good fold. It never hurts to display your skill if you have the opportunity. I just make sure I’m sure before doing it.

2. If I think that my opponent might show me their cards. Certain opponents will be relaxed about this sort of thing, and if you show yours, they’ll show theirs.

For more info on texas holdem strategy, check this out!

If you’re not sure of the difference between a flush and a straight, you might want to read this before you play poker. (Read this, too. Hand rankings are key!!)

A flush is ranked higher than a straight and will beat the straight in a showdown. The flush consists of any five cards of the same suit. The straight consists of five cards in succession which are not all the same suit. If your straight is made up of the same suit, it’s a straight flush and it’s the most valuable hand in the game.

In hold’em. the flush draw gives you slightly better odds than the open-ended straight draw (having four consecutive cards and needing either end to make the straight), and even better odds for a gut-shot straight draw (needing a card that fits in between the four, i.e. 4, 5, 7, 8). Even the better flush draw will only hit at a 3.5-1 ratio.

Showing your cards is not something that I would recommend very often. Showing your opponents a bluff is an ever rarer situation. I can only think of two situations where I would show a bluff.

1. If I’m on the short stack and I want some action. If the table was a little too tight for my liking I would make a raise or two pre-flop with junk, and show them if everyone kept folding. I would do this to induce some action and make it appear that I’m a bit reckless.

2. To play a mind game on a particular opponent. If I’m in a hand with an emotional guy that thinks long and hard, only to muck out of fear, I might show him the bluff if I think it would throw him off in future hands. Some players will let a poor decision eat away at them and put them on tilt.

Read more about bluffing in Bodog’s Guide to Playing Poker: When to Bluff at an Online Poker Table