Odds, equity and theory
Outs in poker
Definition
The unseen cards that will improve your hand to one that is likely to win.
Count outs to estimate your chance to hit: a flush draw has 9, an open-ended straight draw has 8 and a gutshot has 4. Outs should be clean, meaning they do not also help your opponent.
With the flop dealt, one card to come hits at outs / 46 and two cards at about 1 − (47 − outs)(46 − outs) / (47 × 46). The rule of 2 and 4 is a quick way to estimate this.
Related terms
- DrawA hand that is not yet made but can become a strong one with the right card to come.
- Rule of 2 and 4A shortcut: multiply your outs by 2 for one card to come or by 4 for two cards to come to estimate your chance to hit, in percent.
- Pot oddsThe ratio between the size of the pot and the cost of a call; it gives the equity you need for a call to break even.
- Flush drawFour cards to a flush, needing one more card of the same suit; it has nine outs.