Poker Percentage Odds Chart. This percentage poker odds chart highlights the percentage chance of completing your draw based on the number of outs you have at different points in a hand. The odds of completing your draw have been rounded to 1 decimal place in this percentage chart. Try using the rule of 4 and 2 as a rough. The Professor’s Rule of 4 and 2 So after the flop we have 12 outs which using the Rule of 4 and 2 we can calculate very quickly that the probability of hitting one of our outs is 12 x 4 = 48%. The exact% actually works out to 46.7%, but the rule of 4 and 2 gives us a close enough answer for the purposes we need it for.
Pot Odds Stuff:Pot Odds : The Rule of 4 and 2 : Pot Odds Examples
The rule of 4 and 2 (or the 2/4 rule, whatever you want to call it) was coined by Phil Gordon in his Little Green Book, which is an awesome little strategy book for NL Hold’em by the way.
In this article I will explain what the rule of 2 and 4 is all about and show you how to use it during play.
This is a discussion on The paradox of the '4 and 2' rule within the online poker forums, in the Cash Games section; As a beginning player, i read about the '4 and 2' rule everywhere I turned,.
What is the rule of 4 and 2?
The rule of 4 and 2 is a quick shortcut for helping you to work out the percentage odds of completing a draw in Hold’em. To get your percentage odds:
- Multiply your outs by 2 when you are on the flop waiting for the turn.
- Multiply your outs by 2 when you are on the turn waiting for the river.
- Multiply your outs by 4 when you are on the flop waiting for the river (opponent is all-in).
When you have multiplied your outs by either 4 or 2, you will get a percentage that you can compare with your pot odds to work out whether or not it’s worth calling with a drawing hand.
The rule of 4 and 2 just works for percentages odds, not for ratio odds I'm afraid.
Examples of the 2/4 rule.
- Flush draw: 9 outs * 2 = 18%
- Straight draw: 8 outs * 2 = 16%
- Two overcards: 6 outs * 2 = 12%
- Two pair and you need to make a full house: 4 outs * 2 = 8%
- Flush draw, opponent is all in on flop: 9 outs * 4 = 36%
- Straight draw, opponent is all in on flop: 8 outs * 4 = 32%
Easy stuff really. As long as you know your 2 and 4 times tables you're all set.
Important — You rarely multiply by 4.
Even though it’s call the 'rule of 4 and 2', it should really be called the 'rule of 2 (and 4 on rare occasions)', but that’s obviously less catchy. Too many players make the mistake of using the 4 rule on the flop every time, and they lose a lot of money because of it.
The only time you should ever multiply your outs by 4 is when you are on the flop and your opponent has moved all-in. Therefore, you do not expect to face another bet on the turn that will force you to pay more to try and complete your draw.
Basically, always look to multiply your outs by 2 when you are on the flop or the turn to get your correct percentage odds. In the unlikely event that your opponent moves all-in on the flop, then you can dust off the rule of 4 and enjoy its company for a brief moment.
Hand examples of the rule of 4 and 2.
Hand example 1.
You have a flush draw on the flop in a $0.50/$1 NL Hold’em game. Your opponent bets $10 in to the $10 pot. The pot is now $20 and you have to call $10 to continue to try and hit your flush. Should you call or fold?
Hand: A 2
Board: J 3 7
Final Pot: $20
To Call: $10
With a flush draw we have 9 outs, and seeing as we are on the flop waiting for the turn, we will use the 'rule of 2'.
- Odds of completing our flush: 9 outs * 2 = 18%
- Pot odds: 33% ($30 pot total including our call. $10 is 33% of $30.)
Poker Rule Of 4 And 2
Note: Don’t forget to add your potential call to the pot size when working out percentage odds. It’s a little different to the way we work out ratio odds I know, but try and get used to it. Look over the pot odds article to remind yourself.
The odds of completing our flush are worse than the odds we are getting from the pot, therefore we should fold. To put it another way, we do not want to call more than 18% of the pot size to continue, so we fold.
Hand example 2.
You have two overcards on the flop in a $0.50/$1 NL Hold’em game. Your opponent moves all-in for $10 in to the $30 pot. The pot is now $40 and you have to call $10 to continue. Should you call or fold?
Hand: A Q
Board: J 3 7
Final Pot: $30
To Call: $10
It’s one of those rare occasions where our opponent is all in on the flop, so time to whip out that 'rule of 4' for once. Let’s also assume that if we pair one of our overcards that we will definitely have a better hand than our opponent.
- Odds of winning: 6 outs * 4 = 24%
- Pot odds: 20% ($50 pot total including our call. $10 is 20% of $50.)
As it turns out, our odds of winning this hand are better than the odds we are getting from the pot; therefore it is profitable for us to call in an attempt to make an overpair in this example. To put it another way, we can call up to 24% of the pot size to continue, so we call.
Rule of 4 and 2 accuracy comparison tables.
Just so you can get an idea of how accurate the rule of 4 and 2 is, here are two tables that compare the percentage odds you get using the rule of 4 and 2 and the actual percentage odds for the most common types of draws in Texas Hold'em.
Rule of 4 accuracy table.
| Outs | 4 and 2 | Actual | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (gutshot) | 16% | 16.5% | -0.5% |
| 8 (straight) | 32% | 31.5% | +0.5% |
| 9 (flush) | 36% | 35% | +1% |
| 15 (straight + flush) | 60% | 54.1% | +5.9% |
The percentage odds are impressively close when using the rule of 4 (i.e. when your opponent is all-in on the flop and there are two cards to come).
The only draw that's noticeably off is the straight + flush draw when you have 15 outs (5.9% difference), but that doesn't really matter because when you've got a greater than 50% chance of winning the pot it makes it +EV to call absolutely any size bet anyway.
Rule of 2 accuracy table.
The rule of 2 can be used on both the flop and the turn. So to keep things simple, in the following table I'll just compare the percentage odds for when we are on the turn waiting for the river.
| Outs | 4 and 2 | Actual | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (gutshot) | 8% | 8.7% | -0.7% |
| 8 (straight) | 16% | 17.4% | -1.4% |
| 9 (flush) | 18% | 19.6% | -1.6% |
| 15 (straight + flush) | 30% | 32.6% | -2.6% |
Not bad, although not quite as accurate as the rule of 4.
Still, if the rule of 2 stops you from fumbling around with working out the exact odds and in turn accidentally making a bad decision then it has done its job. Furthermore, 1% or 2% under the actual odds is hardly going to lead you to making a terrible play, so I honestly wouldn't worry about it.
Note: The percentage odds when using the rule of 2 on the flop are slightly more accurate than when you're using the rule on the turn (as shown in the table above).
Evaluation of the rule of 4 and 2.
The 2/4 rule is as good as rule are you are going to get for quickly working out percentage odds with drawing hands.
As long as you know how to work out pot odds as a percentage and you prefer working with percentages over ratios, this is the most useful rule you could hope to find.
As far as accuracy goes, the actual percentages are very close to the percentages the rule of 4 and 2 gives out. There are obviously differences of around 1% either side for most draws, but the difference is not big enough to worry about in my opinion. The simplicity and speed that the rule offers more than makes up for the slight decrease in accuracy with odds.
In my main article on pot odds I preferred to use the 'rule of 2' plus 1, which is ever so slightly more accurate. At the end of the day though, the rule of 4 and 2 is the quickest shortcut method that you’re ever going to find for working out percentage odds without taking a much longer route for a similar result.
Phil Gordon also coined the Gordon Pair Principle.
Go back to the awesome Texas Hold'em Strategy.
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Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.Table Of Contents
Other Poker Game’s Rules:
How to Play Poker for Beginners: Basics and Poker Rules
Before you learn how do you play poker, you need to figure out what variant of the game you want to get busy with.
When most people say they want to know 'how to play regular poker,' they imply that they want to learn the basics of Texas Hold'em.
Poker Odds Rule Of 4 And 2
Texas Hold'em is (by far) the most popular poker game out there and it's the one you find at every online poker site.
But that's just the tip of the iceberg. With so many poker variants to play online and offline, the only proper guide on how to play poker for dummies is the one that get you access to all the best games out there.
Not just to the most famous one.
Many poker rules are consistent from game to game, although among the dozens of variants such as Texas hold'em, Omaha, and seven-card stud you will find many differences.
Let's have a quick look at the poker rules of the most played poker games online:
How to Play Texas Hold'Em
| Game | Texas Hold'em |
| How Many Players | 2-10 |
| Poker Rules | How to play Texas holdem |
| Where to Play | Top poker sites |
Also called the 'Cadillac of Poker,' Texas hold'em is the game you are going to play over and over again.
This is the most popular poker game online and it is also the one you are most likely to play with our friends in your next home game.
Whether you play it in the form of a tournament or as a ring-game, the basic rules and the hand rankings don't change.
How to Play Omaha Poker
| Game | Omaha Poker |
| How Many Players | 2-10 |
| Poker Rules | How to play Omaha |
| Where to Play | Top poker sites |
The second-most popular poker variant. Omaha poker finds its roots in the game of Texas Hold'em, although the rules of the two games are slightly different from each other.
Many players find learning how to play poker Omaha to be the natural step to take after they have successfully mastered the basics of Texas Hold'em.
In the poker rules page dedicated to the game you find the perfect beginner's guide to move your first steps in the world of Omaha.
How to Play Seven-Card Stud
| Game | Seven-Card Stud |
| How Many Players | 2-8 |
| Poker Rules | How to play 7-card Stud |
| Where to Play | Top poker sites |
Before Texas hold'em became king, anyone who wanted to to learn the basic poker rules and how to play poker had to go through the game of seven-card stud.
As the name suggests, this is a variant of stud poker. 7-card stud is also the 'S' game in the H.O.R.S.E. poker — but if you are still learning how to play poker, it's probably too early for you to jump on that.
Other Poker Rules to Learn
If you want to go deeper and you want to learn how to play even more poker games, PokerNews is the right site for you.
With these guides you learn how to play poker and enjoy all the different variants out there.
They cover all the official poker rules, the basic strategy tips, and the hand rankings — because you need to know how to calculate points, if you want to win at poker.
Start from them, and then follow the suggested reading on each page to move from beginner to pro.
Common Traits of Most Poker Rules
The Value of Poker Hands
One element used in most poker variants is the system of hand rankings.
The highest ranked hand is a Royal Flush (five cards of the same suit, ranked ace through ten), followed by a Straight Flush (five cards of the same suit of consecutive ranks).
The third-best combination is the Four-of-a-kind, which is then followed by the Full House (three of a kind plus one pair), the Flush, the Straight, the Three-of-a-kind, Two Pair, One Pair, and High Card or no pair.
When a hand reaches the showdown, the player with the highest-ranked hand wins the pot.
That's true of Texas hold'em, pot-limit Omaha, seven-card stud, and five-card draw.
Of course, in 'lowball' games like razz or deuce-to-seven triple draw, the hand rankings are turned upside down and the 'worst' hand according to traditional hand rankings is the winning one.
Poker Hands Ranking
- Royal Flush10JQKA
- Straight
Flush56789 - Four Of
A Kind3333K - Full HouseJJJKK
- Flush2459K
- StraightA2345
- Three Of
A Kind45777 - Two Pair499KK
- One Pair3QK1010
- High Card248QK
Suggested Readings
- Poker Hands Chart: The official classification of all poker hands with a free pdf to download and print.
- What Beats What in Poker: the perfect starting guide to learn how to count points in poker and discover the real value of each hand.
Blinds and Ante Bets
Games like hold'em and Omaha feature small and big blinds, so called because they are 'blind' bets players have to make before they are dealt any cards.
Meanwhile stud games usually use 'antes', which also involve players putting chips in the middle before the hand begins.
From there players bet more as the hand progresses, thereby creating larger pots.
Limit vs. No Limit Poker Games
Some games are played with no-limit betting, which means players can bet as much as they like at any point in the hand, including going 'all in.'
Pot-limit betting means that the current size of the pot creates an upper limit on how much a player can bet.
Poker Professor Rule Of 4 And 2
Games that are played with fixed-limit betting have predetermined amounts from which players cannot vary when they make their bets and raises.
The Action
There are other terms that tend to be used in all different poker games, including many having to do with the actions you perform when playing.
When the action in on you, you can:
- Check: Decline to bet
- Fold: Withdraw from the hand, if someone else has bet already
- Bet: Place a wager on the table
- Raise: Add more chips by matching your opponent's bet and putting in a greater amount.
- Call: Match the bet of your opponents to stay in the hand and continue to play.
All of those terms are an important step in your journey to learn how to play poker since they tend to come up in all poker variants.
The Betting Rounds
In games with community cards like hold'em and Omaha (also sometimes called 'flop games'), the betting rounds are referred to as:
- Preflop: The bets made before any community cards are dealt
- Flop: The bets made after the first three community cards are dealt)
- Turn: The bets made after the fourth community card
- River The bets made after the fifth and last community card.
Suggested Readings
- How to bet in poker: a beginner's guide to betting in Texas hold'em.
- Texas hold'em betting tips: This short article gives you some actionable tips to learn how to play poker with your stack of chips.
The Table Stakes
One other poker rule common to just about every variant of the you'll play – whether you are playing live poker or online poker – is one called 'table stakes.'
Table stakes means that once a hand begins, you can only bet whatever amount you had on the table to begin the hand and are not allowed to add anything more during the hand as it plays out.
If you only have $100 on the table to begin a hand, you can't pull out your wallet and add more halfway through the hand – you can only play out the hand with whatever you had to start.
Practice Poker Online for Free
Now that you know everything about the basic poker rules and you have all the beginner guides you need to master each game, it's time to look for the best places to practice for free.
Don't start to play poker for real money right away. Try out the games for free first. That's the only way to discover if you have really learned how to play poker.
Looking for a site to practice online poker for free?
Don't miss the updated list of the best free poker sites in 2020!
There are countless options to give the game a test run, but the best way is to try out the real deal.
Sign up for a poker account with one of the big online poker rooms and give the freerolls a try.
That way, you can practice poker online without any risk; you're not wagering any money. And if you want to try out cash games instead of tournaments, all major poker sites online have so-called play money tables.
That way you can practice the game, learn the rules, and figure out how the software works, readying yourself for the big stage.
Register a free gaming account and test your poker knowledge in the next freeroll!