Pre-Flop Odds
One of the factors that helps determine if you want to play with your hole cards is the number of outs you have (ways you can make a winning hand). For this reason, some players may prefer to play Ten and Nine over say King and Queen because those hole cards have more outs than the King and Queen, though I would personally play the King and Queen over the Ten and Nine. Below are five hole card examples showing all of the available outs and before the flop odds for each of them:
If the flop contains:
- three Kings or three Queens => four of a kind (9799 to 1)
- two Kings and one Queen or two Queens and one King => full house (1087 to 1)
- Ace, Jack and Ten => straight (152 to 1)
- two Kings or two Queens => three of a kind (62 to 1)
- both a King and Queen => two pair (24 to 1).
- a King or a Queen => a pair (3 to 1)
If the flop contains:
- two Jacks => four of a kind (407 to 1)
- one Jack and any pair or any 3 of a kind => full house (101 to 1)
- Note – You cannot make a straight
- one Jack => three of a kind (8 to 1)
- any pair => two pair (5 to 1).
If the flop contains:
- three Tens or three Nines => four of a kind (9799 to 1)
- two Tens and one Nine or two Nines and one Ten => full house (1087 to 1)
- Jack, Eight and Seven or Queen, Jack and Eight or King, Queen and Jack or Eight, Seven and Six => straight (76 to 1)
- two Tens or two Nines => three of a kind (62 to 1)
- both a Ten and Nine => two pair (24 to 1).
- a Ten or Nine => a pair (3 to 1)
If the flop contains:
- three Sixes or three Fives => four of a kind (9799 to 1)
- two Sixes and one Five or two Fives and one Six => full house (1087 to 1)
- three cards of same suit as hole cards => flush (120 to 1)
- Eight, Seven and Four or Queen, Seven, Four and Three or Nine, Eight, and Seven or Four, Three and Two => straight (76 to 1)
- two Sixes or two Fives => three of a kind (62 to 1)
- both a Six and Five => two pair (24 to 1).
- a Six or Five => a pair (3 to 1)
If the flop contains:
- three Tens or three Fives => four of a kind (9799 to 1)
- two Tens and one Five or two Fives and one Ten => full house (1087 to 1)
- Note- You cannot make a straight
- two Tens or two Fives => three of a kind (62 to 1)
- both a Ten and Five => two pair (24 to 1).
- a Ten or Five => a pair (3 to 1)
So you can see, the many combinations of hole cards available give you many combinations of available outs. When your hole cards have more outs, your odds of making a stronger winning hand is increased and if you cards are suited, you will also have the option of playing for a flush which further increases your winning odds.
With that said, all of these odds change as each community card is displayed and you may need to re-evaluate your hand. My next article will try to help you determine if your hole cards are strong or weak.