Training brain/eyes to see straights?

[afecho]

I’m looking for tips on how to train my brain/eyes to see straights easier? I struggle so much with that hand; I never seem to see it unless it’s actually laid out perfectly in sequence. Example J2973 on the table - I never see that someone could have an 8T. Any tips or tricks how to better watch for straights?


I'm still quite new to poker and had even struggled to see 3 of the same suit on the table for a flush if they were not in a row for quite some time but finally have my eyes/brain able to catch that, but I just can't seem to figure out these straights.

 

[eetenor]

I’m looking for tips on how to train my brain/eyes to see straights easier? I struggle so much with that hand; I never seem to see it unless it’s actually laid out perfectly in sequence. Example J2973 on the table - I never see that someone could have an 8T. Any tips or tricks how to better watch for straights?


I'm still quite new to poker and had even struggled to see 3 of the same suit on the table for a flush if they were not in a row for quite some time but finally have my eyes/brain able to catch that, but I just can't seem to figure out these straights.

Thank you for posting

Hand review is helpful for this as you are not trying to play and learn at the same time.

You practice by starting on the flop and thinking about best hand best draw etc.

Ex flop Js7c 4h Best hand now JJ 77 44 draws 56 35 86 98 T8 T9

then we think about the turn cards that make straights if they come.

56=3or 8---35=6---86=5---98=T etc etc

practice this 500 times off table and you will start to do it on every flop

Hope this helps

 

[ROYALROAD]

I sometimes get disappointed, but I don't think it's a problem.

 

[EarnDAStack]

Just try and be conscious of it and you will get better. In hands like your example where villain had T8 on xx79J can be tricky at times to put players on that's why they are good to play in the right formations.

For suits and catching flushes if you play online you can change your cards to 4 color making the Diamonds blue and Clubs green. I wouldn't be able to play anywhere near as many hands as I do if I had 2 color deck on still

 

[redmast]

This is because you are new to poker. Over time, you will automatically see all this. Experience does not come immediately.

 

[Debi]

I would recommend practising with a deck of cards. Deal out 3 cards and only look for potential straight opportunies. Deal the turn and do the same, deal the river and do the same. Do this over and over and over and eventually you will start seeing them.

 

[Kenzie 96]

I would recommend practising with a deck of cards. Deal out 3 cards and only look for potential straight opportunies. Deal the turn and do the same, deal the river and do the same. Do this over and over and over and eventually you will start seeing them.

I used to regularly go months at a time without playing any serious poker. I used this technique to prepare myself when I knew I had a chance to play coming up. No online poker back then & most games were mixed game, dealers choice. Spending a couple of hours just dealing out 6 or 7 handed games & getting a sense of what tended to come up as well as what could, helped get back in the flow.
Good tip Debi.

 

[BetterThanAvgButNotByMuch]

The major forms of poker today, holdem, omaha and stud require you to take just 5 cards, 2 in the hole with holdem and omaha and any 5 in the stud variations and put them together in order.

That's it, that's the secret sauce.

Take 3 cards in holdem and add or subtract 2 in the hole to get 5 cards in sequence.

You will have to play and practice but you should know exactly what your cards are good for when it comes to playing straights before you see a flop or seeing 4th street in stud.

Actually, you should know what a starting hand is good for when it comes to playing straights before you even decide to play but that's another topic.

So yeah, you have 2 cards and put them in order with 3 other cards and practice. And of course you have to know the order like 234-JQKA, lol.

Practice, before you know it you will be able to glance at a board and know if you have a straight and if you're on a straight draw then how many outs you have almost instantaneously.

Then you'll be able to do with multiple tables!!!

GL

 

[volkzord]

My girlfriend always count on fingers the straights, and thats works. Dont be afraid to look idiot hahahaha.

 

[Phoenix Wright]

It probably gets easier with practice, but usually I just see cards relatively close together in value (or run down the list beginning with that highest value card) and then mentally count down 5 values and see what cards match the community cards (board) and take note if at least 3 are present. That would mean 2 cards could make a straight or flush.

 

[Pavel1203733]

Even now, in a two-color deck, I can sometimes not distinguish black suits from each other if I don’t peer.

 

[takinitSLEAZEE]

As Rango would say, "This is where it gets, ahem... Complicated". This is probably the most frustrating part of hold'em is reading a broken board for straight-draws, even for myself, lol! The best way I've found to pick out the straights are to bet them out pre-flop. Making a nice pf-raise can weed out the 10-8's and 76's and so on. Now I can't say much about the Q10's and J9's or the KJ's, especially if they're suited. But if a player calls a nice pf-bet then they might have one of the latter, maybe even an AJ or KQ so look for any kind of Q-10-8 flops or even something like J-9-6 as something to be weary of if you're playing a nice pair like K's or A's.

 

[caracaski220]

caracaski220

I find it hard also. You have to watch out for wet boards. were there are multiple straight and flush possibilities. I have made the mistake of going all-in with what I thought was the nut straight, only to find out a better straight has flopped.

 

[Newmy12345]

I sucked at maths in school. Dreaded it. I thought to myself I simply hate numbers. Yet in poker I guess Im a natural to see them lol. Practice makes perfect is the best advice. Just take your time in hands and look into the hand, thats why the timer is there and there is no shame in that. When I first started playing poker I have eliminated the option where it shows you at table the strength of the hand ( what you got basically) so that I can push myself to recognize them all by myself. You'll get there with patience and persuation. Best of luck

 

[DS3]

In chess, though more complicated, this is known as 'board vision' and most practised players will tell newbies it takes time to develop.

A flop, turn and river within poker should be easier to see but it takes application every hand. First, remember you are not playing every hand so use the 'down' hands to relax. When I do play a hand I use a simple mental trick to gauge potential outcome, to 'see the board'.

I tell myself to look for worse case scenarios.

It is simple but effective as my default mode becomes look for a potential straight or flush draws on the flop. Then you are prepared for further potential outcomes on the turn and river.

The quicker you can develop the response, the more time you give yourself to assess whether the villain (s) has such a draw or are just 'repping' they have one.

 

[pocketace222]

Wow I wouldn't even know you shouldn't need to see faster though. Most importantly is seeing it. Always take your time and process the hand. What the flop was in relation to your hand and opponents, what could come. Pot odds, opponents agressive or not it's like chess be moves ahead plan in you mind as the hands aging out and stick to it