Playing Drawing Hands
Types of Drawing Hands
A drawing hand is one that needs to improve to win. Common draws include flush draws (needing one more card of the same suit), open-ended straight draws (needing one of eight cards to complete a straight), and gutshot straight draws (needing one of four specific cards). Combo draws, which combine two types of draws, are particularly powerful because they have many outs and excellent equity against made hands.
Calculating Draw Equity
To calculate your drawing equity, count your outs and apply the rule of 2 and 4. Multiply your outs by 4 on The Flop for your approximate chance of hitting by the river, or by 2 on the turn for your chance of hitting on the river. A flush draw has 9 outs, giving approximately 36% equity on the flop.
An open-ended straight draw has 8 outs, giving approximately 32% equity on the flop.
Semi-Bluffing with Draws
Semi-bluffing means betting or raising with a drawing hand that has equity to improve. This is one of the most profitable plays in poker because you can win the pot in two ways: your opponent folds immediately, or you hit your draw. The Fold Equity combined with your drawing equity makes semi-bluffs highly effective.
The best semi-bluff candidates are hands with multiple draws and good backdoor potential.
When to Chase and When to Fold
The decision to continue with a draw depends on Pot Odds, implied odds, and the strength of your draw. If the pot offers you 3-to-1 and your draw gives you 4-to-1 against, folding is mathematically correct based on pot odds alone. However, implied odds, the additional money you expect to win when you hit, can make calling profitable even when immediate pot odds are insufficient.
Playing Draws in Multiway Pots
Drawing hands increase in value in multiway pots because the pot is larger and you are getting better implied odds. When multiple players are involved, the chance that someone will pay you off when you hit your draw increases. However, be cautious about drawing to non-nut hands in multiway pots, as other players may also be drawing and could have you beat even when you complete your draw.
