05- 4-09, Clark Jensen:
How to Calculate Odds Pre Flop
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I constantly here people on TV talking about a person having the right odds to call pre-flop. My question is how do you calculate odds pre-flop? Where would I find a chart showing the outs or top starting hands which gives me the correct odds?
/KCHUNTER
Answer:
Hi KCHUNTER
When calculating odds on the flop and the turn, it usually revolves around whether or not you get the right price for a draw. Say that you are four to a flush and someone bets $20 into a $100 pot. Now you have the correct pot odds to call, and if you hit your hand, you most certainly have a winner.
Before the flop everything is a little different. When there are no cards on the table you're solely playing the strength of your and your opponents' starting hands. If you think you're ahead, you want to play, but you obviously want to get rid of the hand when you think you're behind. Say that a loose player, someone who gets into the action every other hand, raises pre-flop and you look down on A-J. Now you want to raise since your opponents average raising hand probably is worse than A-J. However, if the same raise was made by the tightest player at the table you might want to fold A-J since his average starting hand is a whole lot better. Playing pre-flop often boils down to determining your opponents' starting hand ranges and compare them with your hand.
But as you said, sometimes TV commentators talk about "having the right odds to call pre-flop". What do they really mean?
There are situations where you don't think you have the best starting hand but it is correct to call anyway, in other words, you get the right odds. If a tight player raises from early position, another player calls, and you look down on 3-3 on the button you don't have the best hand at the moment. However, you should probably call anyway (if it isn't too expensive). When you call you treat your pair like a drawing hand and only continue if you hit a 3 on the flop (and sometimes try to steal the pot when your opponents check to you). Most of the times you won't hit your hand but chances are that you will get paid off when you do.
This situation also occurs when you have small suited-connectors that can create good hands or monster draws. If the price is right - or the odds - you want to play them even though you are behind at the moment.
Suggested Further Reading
Regards,
Clark Jensen
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