The Calculator
Poker is a game of information. Let the Card X-Ray calculator
provide you with all the information you need to maximise
your winnings.
The calculator is the main source of in game information.
It gives the following information for your hand:
- Outs
- Percentage change of hitting the hand
- Pot Odds
- Effective Odds
Outs:
Outs is a very simple topic, which many people
try to over complicate. The principle behind outs
is just how many relevant cards are there
available to complete a hand.
Lets take an example:
If I am holding <Ah, Ts> and the flop
is <As,
Jh, 3s> then:
- I am already holding a pair
- I can potentially get 2 pair. I have one ten, there are
three left in the pack, therefore there are 3 outs for me
to hit 2 pair.
- I can potentially get 3 of a kind. There are 2 aces left
in the pack, so there are 2 outs for me to make 3 of a kind.
- It is not possible for me to make a
straight, a flush, a full house, four of a
kind, a straight flush or a royal flush with
the next card, therefore there are no outs
to those hands.
If the turn is <Qs>:
- The outs for two pair remain the same - 3 outs
- The outs for 3 of a kind remain the same - 2 outs
- There is now the possibility of a straight on the board.
To make a straight, I would need a King. There are 4 unseen
kings in the pack, therefore there are four outs.
- There is also the possibility of a flush. There are nine
unseen spade cards, therefore nine outs.
Obviously - whatever the river is, there are no outs left
as we have seen all the cards.
Common questions about outs:
1. Aren't there 9 outs for two pair? (The tens, the Jacks,
and the 3s)
Strictly yes - but a board pair is not something to aim
for. If the board pairs, not only does everyone else hold
the same pair, but someone might now hold a full house.
Therefore - a good calculator should only show the outs
that are useful to the user.
2. Why don't you show outs for multiple cards? (two spades
would make a flush)
Outs show the number of cards that can make a hand for
the next card. The chances of making it are shown by the
percentages.
Percentages:
Knowing how many cards there are in the pack
that will make your hand is one thing, working out how likely
it is to happen is another. This is where percentages come
in.
Card X-Ray not only shows you how many outs
you have to make a hand, but also how likely you are to achieve
it.
Lets take another look at the above example.
If I am holding <Ah, Ts> and the flop
is <As, Jh, 3s>.
We know that my outs are 3 for two pair, and
2 for 3 of a kind, but how likely am I to achieve this?
- For two pair, I have 3 outs with 2 cards to go: 12.9%
- For three of a kind, I have 3 outs with 2 cards to go:
8.6%
What is important is that this chance changes when the next
card is dealt.
Again, the turn is <Qs>:
- For two pair, I have 3 outs with 1 card to go: 6.52%
- For three of a kind, I have 3 outs with 1 card to go:
4.35%
However, I also have chances for a flush and a straight:
- For a straight, I have 4 outs with 1 card to go: 8.7%
- For a flush, I have 9 outs with one card to go: 19.5%
Of course, the next question is - now I have the likelihood
of making a hand, when should I bet on it?
Pot Odds:
Pot Odds are also a very simple concept, made complicated
by too many people.
It is simply the odds that are being offered when you make
a bet.
A non-poker example - tossing a coin:
Everyone knows that tossing a (fair) coin is as likely to
land on heads as it is tails. Therefore, if I was to offer
you $1 for every time you throw a head, but you have to give
me $2 every time you through a tail, you would suggest that
the bet wasn't a good one for you.
Pot odds are as simple as that.
Using the above example again - after the turn:
My cards <Ah, Ts> against <As, Jh, 3s, Qs>
I think that if I get another spade, i should win the hand
with the nut flush, but if i don't I think I'm going to lose.
Card Xray has told me:
- the outs: 9
- the percentage chance of hitting the hand: 19.5%
but should I bet?
Lets say the Pot Odds are 3:1 - therefore for a $1 bet I
would get $3 back. (For a simple calculation, lets pretend
there are $3 in the pot, and it costs me $1 to bet).
Looking at Pot Odds in its simplest form - these would be
bad odds.
We know that I'll hit a spade roughly one time in five from
this position. Therefore, for every five bets (35) i'd win
one pot ($3) which has a net impact of $2.
If the pot odds are 10:1 - it would be a good bet. I'd win
once in every 5 goes, and I'd win $10 for my $5 of betting.
Positional Odds:
If, in the previous round of betting, there was a player who raised after you played, the position odds come into play.
Lets say the pot is $25 and its $5 to play, the odds are 5:1. However, if the player behind you raised in the previous round, and may raise again, then you are looking at $10 to stay in this round, rather than $5.
Lets assume there are only two players, you and the raiser. The calculator would show:
Pot Odds: 5:1 (P 3.5:1) showing the positional effect.
If you are not interested in positional odds, simply turn them off in the options menu.
Effective Odds:
Effective odds are how much it will cost you (in bets) versus how much you gain to win. It simply adds up all you remaining bets, and compares them to everyone else's bets at this point in the hand.
Card Xray applies a discount to the river bets. It assumes you will probably call one in ten times (10%) if you miss your hand, and the opponents will call you 75% of the time if you make your hand. Of course - you can change these percentages as you wish by using the options menu.
If you are not interested in effective odds, simply turn them off in the options menu.
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