Combo Counts
Understanding how many combinations each hand type has helps you think about ranges and probabilities.
| Hand Type | Combos | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Pocket pair | 6 | AA: A♠A♥, A♠A♦, A♠A♣, A♥A♦, A♥A♣, A♦A♣ |
| Suited hand | 4 | AKs: A♠K♠, A♥K♥, A♦K♦, A♣K♣ |
| Offsuit hand | 12 | AKo: 4 suits × 3 remaining suits = 12 |
| Any specific hand (e.g., AK) | 16 | 4 suited + 12 offsuit |
| Total starting hands | 1,326 | C(52,2) = 1,326 |
With one card removed (e.g., ace on the board), AA drops from 6 to 3 combos. With two cards removed, it drops to 1. Blocker effects are significant for narrow ranges.
Rule of 2 and 4
Multiply your outs by the appropriate number to estimate your equity:
| Outs | Flop → River (×4) | Turn → River (×2) | Exact (Flop) | Exact (Turn) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4% | 2% | 4.3% | 2.2% |
| 2 | 8% | 4% | 8.4% | 4.3% |
| 4 | 16% | 8% | 16.5% | 8.7% |
| 6 | 24% | 12% | 24.1% | 13.0% |
| 8 | 32% | 16% | 31.5% | 17.4% |
| 9 | 35%* | 18% | 35.0% | 19.6% |
| 12 | 44%* | 24% | 45.0% | 26.1% |
| 15 | 53%* | 30% | 54.1% | 32.6% |
*For 9+ outs on the flop, use the modified formula: (outs × 4) − (outs − 8) for better accuracy. See the outs guide for details.
Common Equity Matchups
| Matchup | Equity |
|---|---|
| Overpair vs. underpair (AA vs. KK) | ~81% vs. 19% |
| Pair vs. two overcards (QQ vs. AKo) | ~57% vs. 43% |
| Pair vs. one overcard (TT vs. AJ) | ~71% vs. 29% |
| Two overcards vs. two undercards (AK vs. 87) | ~63% vs. 37% |
| Dominated hand (AK vs. AQ) | ~74% vs. 26% |
| Pair vs. suited connectors (JJ vs. T9s) | ~77% vs. 23% |
Pot Odds Quick Reference
| Bet Size (% of pot) | Pot Odds | Equity Needed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25% | 5:1 | 16.7% | Calculator |
| 33% | 4:1 | 20.0% | |
| 50% | 3:1 | 25.0% | |
| 67% | 2.5:1 | 28.6% | |
| 75% | 2.3:1 | 30.0% | |
| 100% | 2:1 | 33.3% | |
| 150% | 1.7:1 | 37.5% | |
| 200% | 1.5:1 | 40.0% |
See the full pot odds guide for worked examples and implied odds.
Break-Even Percentages for Bluffs
When you bet as a bluff, your opponent needs to fold a certain percentage of the time for the bluff to break even:
| Bet Size | Break-Even Fold % |
|---|---|
| 25% pot | 20% |
| 33% pot | 25% |
| 50% pot | 33% |
| 67% pot | 40% |
| 75% pot | 43% |
| 100% pot | 50% |
| 150% pot | 60% |
Use the EV Calculator to compute exact expected values for your bet scenarios.
Stack-to-Pot Ratio (SPR)
SPR = Effective Stack / Pot Size after the flop. It guides how committed you should be:
- SPR < 3: Commit with top pair or better. You're pot-committed.
- SPR 3-7: Need two pair or better to comfortably commit. Top pair is a medium-strength hand.
- SPR 7-13: Need a strong hand (set+) to stack off. Pot control with medium hands.
- SPR > 13: Very deep. Implied odds are huge. Speculative hands (suited connectors, small pairs) gain value.
Next Steps
- Deep dive into pot odds with worked examples.
- Learn to count outs for accurate equity estimates.
- Understand expected value to evaluate every decision.
- Use the pot odds widget on the calculator to practice.