How to count outs?

nevedimka29 · Feb 22, 2017

You can throw a link to a detailed description of how to count outs? or explain)

Robochick · Feb 23, 2017

This is not a detailed description, because it gets confusing really fast. There can be some factors where you have to reduce the significance of some outs because of the specific situation. It sounds like you want a formula, so here is an easy one that approximates the chance you will hit:

1. Determine how many cards might be left in the deck that will give you the desired hand.
Here are some general ones encountered:

4 outs= 2 pair needing a full house or an inside straight draw
6 outs= 2 over cards needing to make a pair
8 outs= open ended straight draw
9 outs= flush draw
11 outs= flush draw w/pair that could make trips
12 outs= flush draw w/inside straight draw
14 outs= flush draw w/pair that could make trips (one of the pair is on the board) or to hit kicker to make 2 pair

2. After the flop, multiply by 4 and you have the rough percentage to make your hand. After the turn multiply by 2 and you will have the rough percentage to make your hand.
3 Calculate the pot odds to determine if you should stay in the hand.

kapos77 · Feb 23, 2017

Two-way straight draw - you have four consecutive cards.
Hand: 8 ♠ 9 ♥ | Board: 6 ♥ 7 ♣ 2 ♠
One-way straight draw - You need one card to fill a gap in the sequence of five cards.
Hand: 8 ♠ 9 ♥ | Board: 6 ♥ 10 ♣ 2 ♠
Flush draw - You have four cards of the same suit.
Hand: 8 ♠ 9 ♠ | Board: 6 ♠ K ♣ 2 ♠
Two-way straight draw & flush draw - You have and bilateral straight draw and a flush draw.
Hand: 8 ♠ 9 ♠ | Board: 6 ♠ 7 ♠ 2 ♥
Tuning-triple to a full house - You have three cards of the same rank.
Hand: 8 ♠ 8 ♥ | Board: 8 ♦ 7 ♠ 2 ♥
Tuning-pocket pair to a set on the flop - You have a pocket pair.
Hand: 8 ♠ 8 ♥ | Board: 6 ♠ 7 ♠ 2 ♥
The more time you spend exercising count outs, the easier it will be for you this procedure.

Any card that will give you the best hand is considered an out. Be careful and do not take into account the outs that can give your opponent a better hand.

For example, if you ended straight draw, but the flop two cards of the same suit, you only have six outs, since two cards that will complete your straight, will flash opponent with a flush draw.

Robochick · Feb 23, 2017

Miscounting outs

One of the things that can mess you up is double counting a card. For example, lets say you have AK suited and the flop comes 2 of your suit and 2 to make a straight. You have 9 to make a flush and 4 to make the straight, but one card is duplicated in that calculation so you have to subtract one.