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Playing The Pot Odds

How would you rate your effectiveness when it comes to playing the pot odds in a game of no-limit Texas Hold'em? This is a very worthwhile question to ask, even for players who would rather not face the issue directly. If you harbor any serious ambitions about succeeding as a no-limit Hold'em competitor, you really need to factor pot odds into your overall Texas holdem strategy.

What Are The Pot Odds?

For the purposes of definition, pot odds can be referred to as the ratio of the current size of the pot to the cost of a potential call. Say the pot contains $100 and you must call $10 to stay in the hand, then you have 100 to 10 (or 10:1) pot odds. You can think of this ratio as an expression of your probability of winning the hand with a future card, in order to estimate your calls expected value. Implied pot odds are calculated the same way, but take into consideration estimated future betting. Implied odds are useful when you expect to fold in the next round if you miss the draw and this lose no additional bets, but conversely you expect to gain extra bets if making the draw. These additional bets, excluding your own, add to the size of the pot and create the implied pot odds.

How To Manipulate The Pot Odds

When it comes to Texas holdem odds, there are a number of ways in which you can effectively manipulate the pot odds to impact your opponent's decisions. By doing so, you are basically altering the pot odds offered to the other player. This may come in the form of betting hard to protect a made hand that discourages the other players from going after a drawing hand.

An Illustrative Example

For example, say with one card to be dealt you have a made hand but the board shows a potential flush draw. You want to wager enough to make it ill-advised for your opponent with a flush draw to call, but you don't want to bet to much in the event he or she already has you beat. If you bet half of a $20 the pot, when your opponent acts the pot will be $30 and it will cost $10 to call. Your opponent's pot odds will be 3:1. If your opponent is on a flush draw, 19 percent (roughly 4:1) with one card to come, the pot does not offer sufficient pot odds to call (unless the opponent thinks he can induce additional final round betting from you by making his or her hand).

Getting a grasp of how pot odds affect betting situations like this one will make you an infinitely more dangerous online Texas holdem player.