Common mistakes in poker:
A lot of poker players believe that a pocket pair of 2’s has
better odds of winning than A K. This is not true. Pocket 2’s does have better
odds of winning against A K but against any two ‘hold’ cards A K is better.
This is because A K has a much better chance of winning when up against another
pocket pair.
Did you know that Jack ten has better odds of winning
against pocket 2’s than Ace King. This is because Jack Ten has a higher chance
of making a straight than Ace King.
The biggest and most common mistake in poker has got to be
not playing the odds! Many players will call a raise on the flop if they are
waiting for one card to make a straight or flush. The odds of hitting the card
you need on the turn is about 17% and the odds of hitting it on the river is
about 17% again so overall 34% total on both cards.
Now using an example such as in a hand where the blinds are
10 and 20, where your heads up and you have 8 9. The flop comes 2 10 7. You
have an open ended straight draw. A six or jack will make you a straight. Now
your opponent raises 60. The pot was originally 40 (both yours and your
opponents blinds). It is now 100. For you to call this and win you are not even
doubling your money! Not good odds for your money.
Now say if you have a 300 pot that has been built up before
the flop. Then on the flop comes 2 10 7 and you have 8 9. Now your opponent
raises 100. What do you do?
A lot of players will call here because they know they have
about a 35% chance of making their straight on the next 2 cards and if they win
they will make 400 (4 times what they called with). However what if they do not
hit it on the turn and then there opponent raises 200. The pot is now 800 and
they have to call another 200. They will now only make 4 times the amount they
call with. This would be ok if your chance of making the winning hand was more
than 25%, however it is only 17%. The point I’m trying to make is that a lot of
players will think that in this case they are getting good odds for their money
as they have over 35% chance of hitting their straight on the next two cards
and they will be making 4 times the amount of what their putting in. This is a
call you should only make if you are going all-in as you cannot be certain your
opponent does not raise again on the turn. Therefore when calling a raise on
the flop with an open ended straight draw you should only call when you will be
making 6 times the amount you put in. Remember you only have a 17% chance of
hitting it on the turn. You only have a 35% chance on both cards combined.