Introduction
Development
Introducing Poker
Ranking Hands
Chips
The sequence of play
Shuffling
Dealing
Betting Interval
Betting Small and Big Blinds
Table stakes
Using wild cards
Probability of holding
First betting interval
Strategy-1
Strategy-2
Seven-Card Stud
Other forms of poker
Texas Hold'em Basic Hand
Five - Six card Omaha
Poker Sense
Slow Playing
Other Gambling Card Game
Blackjack
Brag
Seven-card Brag
Gin Rummy
Glossary

How many cards to draw?

Table 10 recommends how many cards to draw with each holding from one pair to a four-card, double-ended straight flush and the chances of improving in terms of probability and approximate odds.

TABLE 10: Recommended draws and chances of improvement
Cards held	Number of cards to draw	Improvement to	Probability	Approx odds against
One pair	3	Two pairs Three of a kind Full house Four of a kind Any improvement	0.171 0.114 0.010 0.003 0.298	to 1 to 1 97 to 1 359 to 1 2.4 to 1
One pair with Ace	2	Two pairs (Aces up Two pairs (not Aces ) Three of a kind Full house (Aces up) Full house (not Aces up) Four of a kind Any improvement	0.117 0.056 0.078 0.003 0.006 0.001 0.261	7.6 to 1 17 to 1 11.9 to 1 359 to 1 179 to 1 1080 to 1 2.8 to 1
Two pairs	1	Full house	0.085	10.8to 1
Three of a kind	2	Full house Four of a kind Any improvement	0.061 0.043 0.104	15.4 to 1 22.5 to 1 8.6 to 1
Double-ended straight	1	Straight	0.170	4.9 to 1
Straight with single end or gap in middle	1	Straight	0.085	10.8 to 1
Four-card flush	1	Flush	0.191	4.2 to 1
Double-ended straight flush	1	Straight flush Flush Straight Any improvement	0.043 0.148 0.128 0.318	22.5 to 1 5.8 to 1 6.8 to 1 2.1 to 1
Straight flush with single end or gap in middle	1	Straight Flush Flush Straight Any improvement	0.021 0.170 0.064 0.255	46 to 1 4.9 to 1 14.7 to 1 2.9 to 1

TABLE 11: wild of each hand at the betting interval
Hand held	Number of variations	Number of better hands	Number of better hands (per cent)
Straight flush	40	0	0
Fours	624	40	0.002
Full house	3,744	664	0.025
Flush	5,108	4,408	0.170
Straight	10,200	9,516	0.336
Three of kind	54,912	19,716	0.759
Two pairs	123,552	74,628	2.872
Pair of Aces	84,480	198,180	7.625
Pair of kings	84,480	282,660	10.876
Pair of Queens	84,480	376,140	14.473
Pair of Jacks	84,480	451,620	17,377
Pair of 10s	84,480	536,100	20.627
Pair of 9s to pair of 2s	675,840	620,580	23.878
No pair	1,302,540	1,296,420	49.882

Values of hands containing a single pair

We have not considered so far the comparative value of hands that hold a single pair and, since a hand containing a pair will beat half the hands dealt before the first betting interval, and a pair of 10s will beat roughly four out of every five, it is worth considering the status of a single pair. Table 11 shows the values of hands down to no pair, by giving the percentage of beaten at the deal by just 17 per cent of opposing poker hands, or fewer than one in five, while a pair of Aces will be beaten by less than eight per cent, or fewer than one in twelve.

Strategy before the draw

The first decision you have to make after the deal is whether to fold, check, call, bet or raise. In making this decision you will naturally be assessing your hand, at the same time deciding which cards you will discard in the draw if you remain in the deal that long. The cards to discard will almost always be obvious but it is essential that you do not set them aside or rearrange your hand by putting them to one end of the fan or in any other way give other players a clue as to how many you intend to discard. There’s no point in giving away any information before you have to.

Where are you sitting?

In some positions at the table you might not get the opportunity to check, and in fact wherever you sit your position relative to the dealer will affect ♣ 5, ♥ 4 – a pair of Jacks. Look back at Table 4. It shows that if you are one of the six players, you have a 32 per cent chance of holding the good hand at the table.

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