4-2 Rule in Online Gambling’s No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em
The “4-2 Rule” is very simple to calculate in online gambling, and you should make a habit of doing it when faced with a tough decision.
Definition of Pot Odds
In order to use the “4-2 Rule,” you need to know what pot odds are. Pot odds are simply the ratio of the amount of money in the pot to the amount needed to call a bet. For example, if there is $100 in a pot and Player A bets $50, Player B is getting pot odds of 3-1 to call (100+50=150) (150/50=3).
Back to the above example, if Player B is faced with this bet on the flop with a flush draw (Player B has four suited cards and he needs one more suited card to make a flush) should he call the bet? Here is where the “4-2 Rule” comes into play.
The “4-2 Rule”
There are 9 cards that can help Player B (13 total suited cards – 4 suited cards in Player B’s hand). These 9 cards are called “outs.” In order to figure out the percentage of catching one of those cards, you simply multiply the number of outs by 4 if the decision is on the flop (with two more cards to come) or 2 if the decision is on the turn (with one more card to come).
So in the example, Player B has 9 outs and the decision is on the flop so the formula is 9*4=36. That means Player B has a 36 percent chance of making a flush. The pot odds will help decide whether you should call the bet or not.
The pot is currently giving Player B 3-1 odds, which translates into 25 percent (here is an odds to percentage converter). The “outs” percentage must be higher than the pot odds percentage in order to justify making a call. Since 36 > 25, Player B should make the call.
When making the decision on the flop, you should only multiply your outs by 4 if you will be seeing both the turn and the river. If there is a possibility of a fold from Player B on the turn, he needs to multiply his outs by 2 instead of 4. By multiplying by 2, Player B is calculating the percentage of making his hand with one card to come rather than two.
In other words, you will usually multiply your outs by 4 when a player goes all-in on the flop and you need to decide if you are getting the right price to call. Otherwise, you will multiply your outs by 2.
This rule is not an exact science. Here is an odds chart that shows the actual percentages of making your hand with any number of outs. The actual percentage from the above example is 34.97 percent. However, it is relatively close to the 36 percent that the formula produced.
By using the “4-2 Rule,” you will be helping yourself to make better decision at the poker table, which in the end will help you be a winning player.
2-7 Draw Poker
In Razz the best hand is A-2-3-4-5. In 2-7 Draw that would not be a good hand. The idea is to get the best low hand but the Ace is considered a high card in 2-7 Draw. The other problem is that you cannot get a straight. A straight is a bad thing.
According to casinos.id website, the best low hand in 2-7 Draw is 2-3-4-5-7. There is no ace and no straight but you have the lowest cards possible. You do not have to have this exact hand to win any more than you have to hold the A-5 in Razz to win.
In 2-7 draw you are dealt five cards. You decide at this point if you are going to play or fold. There is a round of betting. You are then given the chance to discard any number of cards and get new. This is followed by another round of betting. Once again after this betting you are given the chance to fold or discard any number of cards and get new. There is another round of betting. You now get the third and final time to fold or discard a number of cards. There is a final round of betting. Cards are turned up and the person with the best low hand wins.
It sounds very simplistic. It’s not. Just like any poker game there are twists and turns you need to anticipate.
At no time during the betting rounds do you see any of the other players cards. This allows for someone to bet big and aggressive with nothing and no hope of good cards. Not all people betting aggressively are going to have a bad hand though and with all the rounds of betting, there is a lot of opportunity to lose a lot of money.
You can watch to see how many cards someone discards or if they hold with what is in their hand. Holding what is in their hand is a good indication that they have a premium hand. You may have another player who was dealt four of his five cards premium. With three discards he is sure he will get the fifth so he bets hard. You can see that at each round he continues to discard one card. This tells you that he has not gotten the card he is trying for. On the final round of discard he may or may not have gotten the card. He may bet hard to throw you off and try to get his chips back or he may have gotten the card. Watching his play throughout will give you clues to how he is going to bet the final round.
However, these are simply some handy suggestions to follow and do not guarantee positive result while gambling online. The outcome may differ with respect to one’s own luck and skills. It is recommended to play smartly.
