Check the pot odds

The first thing you have to do when you have a drawing hand is to compare the pot odds with your winning odds.

The typical drawing hands in holdem are straight draws and flush draws. They typically have 8 and 9 outs, respectively. This means that there are eight or nine unseen cards in the deck that would (probably) give you the winning hand if they come on the board.

With eight or nine outs, the odds against you hitting the draw about 4-to-1 on the next card, and 2-to-1 if you can see two cards. Those are called your winning odds.

By comparing the pot odds with the winning odds you see if your draw have a positive expectation or not. If you get pot odds of 10-to-1, calling is easy. If the pot odds are worse than your winning odds, the call cannot be motivated by the pot odds alone.

If you want to keep playing in this spot, you have to find some added value, or some other ways to win the pot, for example that you have position on your opponent or that you may pull off a bluff.

Good article, engmak! Pot odds are very crucial in poker games and can help you make the correct mathematical decision in a hand... Keep the good posts coming in!