Values of Hands - A skillful Poker player must know what constitutes a good hand in the form of Poker he is playing. Following are the average winning hands in various forms of Poker, with seven players in the game:
Draw Poker, Nothing Wild Five-card Stud Seven-card Stud Draw Poker, Joker Wild Draw Poker, With the Bug Draw Poker, Deuces Wild Draw Poker, High-Low Lowball | Jacks up Aces or Kings Three eights Three eights Aces up Three Aces Jacks up, high; 10 or 9, low 9-6-X-X-X |
Breakthrough in Poker Training Technology |
When to Stay in - Conservatism plays in Poker, and in a game with expert players it is necessary. The general rule is: You should stay in only in either of two cases,
- You believe you have the best hand, or
- the odds against your drawing the best hand are less than the odds offered by the pot.
Hand Required | To Beat |
Any Pair Eights Jacks Kings Aces | 1 - opponent 2 - opponents 3 - opponents 4 - opponents 5 - 6 - 7 - opponents |
Poker Mathematics - The following tables are based on the theory of probabilities. Tables showing the relative numbers of "possible hands" are a guide to the value of your hand. For example, if you are dealt a flush there are only a few thousand hands that will beat you and some 2½ million that you can beat, so the odds are overwhelmingly in favor of your having the best hand. But in Draw Poker players have a chance to draw and improve their hands, so the ultimate odds must be reduced accordingly.
Chances of Improving a Hand on the Draw (Jackpots or Draw Poker) | |||
Cards Held in Hand | Cards Drawn | Possible Improvement | Odds Against Making |
One Pair | 3 | ||
Two Pair | 5 to 1 | ||
Threes | 8 to 1 | ||
Full House | 97 to 1 | ||
Fours | 359 to 1 | ||
Anything | 2½ to 1 | ||
One Pair and an Ace Kicker | 2 | ||
Aces Up | 7½ to 1 | ||
Another Pair | 17 to 1 | ||
Threes | 12 to 1 | ||
Full House | 119 to 1 | ||
Fours | 1,080 to 1 | ||
Anything | 3 to 1 | ||
Two Pairs | 1 | ||
Full House | 11 to 1 | ||
Anything | 11 to 1 | ||
Threes | 2 | ||
Full House | 15½ to 1 | ||
Fours | 22½ to 1 | ||
Anything | 8½ to 1 | ||
Threes and One Odd Card | 1 | ||
Full House | 14½ to 1 | ||
Fours | 46 to 1 | ||
Anything | 11 to 1 | ||
Four Straight (open-end) | 1 | ||
Straight | 5 to 1 | ||
Four Straight (one end or interior) | 1 | ||
Straight | 11 to 1 | ||
Four Flush | 1 | ||
Flush | 4½ to 1 | ||
Four Straight Flush (both ends open) | 1 | ||
Straight Flush | 22½ to 1 | ||
Anything | 2 to 1 | ||
Four Straight Flush (interior or end) | 1 | ||
Straight Flush | 46 to 1 | ||
Anything | 3 to 1 | ||
One Ace | 4 | ||
Pair of Aces | 3 to 1 | ||
Aces Up | 14 to 1 | ||
|