HOME

Understanding Implied Odds In No-limit Texas Holdem

In no-limit Texas holdem poker, it is critical to understand the idea of pot odds as compared to hand odds. If you don’t understand these concepts, it will be very difficult to be successful at no-limit Texas holdem. Understanding these concepts is not necessarily enough, however.

To fully calculate your hand odds, you will also have to take implied odds into account.

Odds in Poker

Determining when to call or how much to bet in poker is usually a function of the pot odds vs. the hand odds. The pot odds represent how much the pot is laying you if you win the hand. If it will cost you $20 to see a card and you stand to win a $100 pot, you are being offered 100-to-20 or 5-to-1 pot odds. That means if you expect to win the hand more than one time out of six, it is correct for you to call. Knowing how often you can expect to win a hand is in part a function of hand odds.

For example, the odds of making an open-ended straight draw with one card to come are about 5-to-1. The odds of making a flush when you need one card to hit it with one card to come are about 4-to-1.

If your odds of hitting your hand are better than the pot odds, you have a correct call. Similarly, if you think an opponent is drawing against you, you want to make sure you bet enough so that he is getting incorrect pot odds to call with his hand.

Just to avoid any misunderstanding: odds are the same in online poker.

Implied Odds in Poker

Once you hit your hand, the hand is not necessarily over. You still may have an opportunity to bet and win more chips. This is where implied odds come in. If you have a reasonable expectation that your opponent will put more chips in after you hit your hand, you can include these implied odds in your pot odds calculation.

For example, you have a straight draw and are facing a bet on the turn of $25. There is only $100 in the pot, meaning you are getting 4-to-1 pot odds and you cannot expect to hit your straight more than one time out of five on average.

However, if you have a reasonable expectation that this opponent will bet on the river and even call a small raise, the calculation is different. If you have reason to believe this player will bet another $25 on the river even if you hit, and then feel compelled to call a $25 raise, you can anticipate winning $150, which is 6-to-1, making your call a positive expectation play.

Notes About Implied Odds

You must be honest with yourself about implied odds. If you are heads up with a tight player who usually folds when three of a suit come on board, you cannot assume he will pay off your flush draw and give yourself implied odds. You can however, represent a flush and bluff such a player off his hand when a flush threat comes on board even if you don’t have said flush.

A great way of practicing your understanding of implied odds is in a free poker tournament.

More Poker Articles