Poker Players Should Pay Attention To Math, To Win Consistently

Last Updated on April 11, 2019 Author:Adrian Sterne

poker mathsPoker is a mind sport. A player needs to be able to develop an effective strategy to beat his or her opponents. In coming up with a winning strategy to beat the competition, the best poker players usually make use of something most of us hate: math.

Understanding poker math is essential if you want to make the best decisions at the table. The formula does not always have to be complicated. In fact, the game of poker has certain “givens” that will help you formulate the right equation.

Always remember that there are 52 cards in the deck, composed of 13 diamonds, 13 hearts, 13 spades, and 13 clubs. The cards also have their respective ranks, with Ace being the highest, and two the lowest. Each of the ranks has four cards.

With those givens, you can actually determine the probabilities attached to every hand in poker. Let’s say you decide to play a game of Texas Hold’em. If you are dealt two sixes at the beginning of the game, there is a certain formula that will help you figure out your chances of getting a third six.

The calculation might be quite difficult to make while you’re in the middle of the game, but there are easier methods that will help you arrive at the correct conclusion. So if you have two sixes in your hand, the remaining 50 cards have two sixes left in them. Because you are clueless as two what cards your opponents are holding, you may ignore that as a factor in creating a math equation.

To have a third six, one of the two sixes left within the 50 cards should come out in the first three community cards dealt, or what is called the “flop“. To know the probabilities, simply divide two by the remaining number of cards. For example, 2/50 = .04 or 4%, and so on. I you add them up, you’ll arrive at 12%.

Don’t Stop Learning

This computation will help you determine how often you’re likely to win, and help you decide if it’s right to stick to the game when some opponents bet before you.

Of course, you can also apply math to other poker variants by analysing the given details. You need to remember though that playing the game of poker involves huge numbers, and while the calculations are correct, the computations might not work each time.

The key here is to focus on continuous learning. Focus on reading more books and articles on poker math. Shuffle, deal and calculate until you become the sharp player you’ve always wanted to be.

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