The Mathematics of Poker and why you need it
Some poker players call themselves ‘feel’ players and depend on their instinct and intuition, a skill that they have developed by observing online poker. This skill is attained through years of practice, grinding their way through table after table. But let’s let you in on a secret, online poker is as much calculation as it is about intuition; they are two sides of the same chip! The one and only way to make sure that your plays are right is when you tally if the poker math adds up.
Now to begin with, most amateurs get intimidated thinking about the complicated calculations. However, the reality is, just like any other skill the more time you spend with it, the better you get. And remember the cardinal rule, always make notes.
- Probability: Online poker is a game of probabilities. Every deck has an exact number of cards which means there are only certain possibilities and combinations that can occur. For example, out of the 52 cards in a deck, there are 4 suits. So, the Poker probability of getting any spade as the first card you’ve been dealt is 1 in 4, that’s 25%. When it comes to starting poker hands, the probability of winning is high for an AA, AK or AQ starting hand, but if your starting hands are AJ, A10, A9 or A2 you should consider folding. So, it’s quite useful to at least memorise a few probabilities while starting out.
- Counting Outs: The number of ‘unseen cards’ that could come on either the turn or river which could be yours a poker winning hands is called counting ‘outs’. That’s why it’s pivotal to learn how to count outs as soon as you start your online poker journey. Then you can move into a little more complicated calculation of dividing the number of desired outcomes, by the number of possible outcomes to give you a better clarity on your next move.
- Calculating Odds: We have heard the term ‘odds’ many times while playing poker online. At the very basic level it is the total money in the pot compared to the money you must pay to stay in the hand. Let’s take an example of a flop heads-up. There’s Rs. 200 in the pot and your opponent bets Rs. 100.
Since your opponent’s bet is now part of the pot, you’re being offered Rs. 300 for a cost of Rs. 100. In ratio form, that’s 3:1. And when we equate the likelihood of us hitting one of our Outs against Pot Odds we can make a mathematically strong bet.
Ok! Enough of math tables, now it’s time you hit the poker table. Now that you know the basics, it’s time to apply. So, play poker online free at Mad over Poker and once you get better, play real money poker with the best poker games Mad over Poker.
Poker Mathematics & Its Best Use
Poker is a game of skill, tactics, ability to read the opponent players and a game based on mathematics. People believe that the poker game can be played without doing any kind of math but this is not true. To win the poker game, one has to do some calculation in mathematics. The application of math in the game of texas holdem can be applied in various situations as in a hand during the time when a poker player is on a flush or straight draw. Suppose the player is on a draw and the opponent player makes a bet and the player faces a situation where he has to either fold and let the opponent player take the money or to make a call to end the draw. Thus during this type of situation, having a good take on the poker mathematics can make the player tackle the situation.
The players who are unaware of the odds in the poker game will be in a dilemma whether it would be right or wrong to call. Suppose if the bet is pretty much, then the players may not call but when the bet is less, they can give a chance to call as they would have nothing to lose or gain much. With the correct usage of the poker math, one can calculate the odds and proceed accordingly.
Suppose in the poker game, when there are odds it is shown normally as 14:4. The number on the left side represents the number of the times that will not happen and the number on the right side represents the number of times something can occur. It can be also said that for all (14+4) events, it will not occur 14 times and it will occur 4 times. The odds therefore can be cut down by dividing the left number by the right number. Here in this case, it is 3.5! Thus the odds are similar to 3.5 to 1.
Another common usage of math in Texas holdem is when there are two clubs in the hand and the flop also has the same. As there are 2 cards in the hand and 3 on the board and the rest of 47 are not known, the 12 club cards will be beneficial and by subtracting by 4, there are 9 cards. Thus there are 38 numbers of cards which are of no help and 9 cards which can help. Thus dividing 38 by 9, 4.2 are obtained. Therefore with the help of math, it is easier to calculate on getting a club in the turn is 4.2 to 1.