Draws and Outs Tutorial
What are Draws?
A draw is when you do not yet have a made hand, but you are one or two cards away from a strong hand.
- Open ended straight Draw: Needing one or two cards to complete a straight.
- Flush Draw: Needing one more card of the same suit to make a flush.
- Gutshot straight draw: Missing one middle card to complete a straight.
- Overcards: Having two high cards that could pair on the board.
- Set Draw: Holding a pocket pair and hoping to hit trips.
- Full House Draw: Having two pairs and hoping to improve to a full house.
Examples of Draws and Outs
Open ended straight Draw Example
You need a 3 or 8 to complete a straight.
Flush Draw Example
You need any heart (except the 2 hearts, which is already on the board) to complete a flush.
Gutshot straight draw Example
You need a 10 to complete a straight.
Overcards Example
You need an Ace or a King to improve your hand.
Set Draw Example
You need a 10 or holding a pocket pair to 4, 7 or 2 for complete a set.
Draws and Their Outs
| Draw Type | Number of Outs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Flush Draw | 9 | Holding four suited cards, needing one more. |
| Open-Ended Straight Draw | 8 | Holding four consecutive cards, needing one at either end. |
| Gutshot straight Draw | 4 | Missing one middle card to complete a straight. |
| Overcards | 6 | Two high cards that could improve if they pair the board. |
| Set Draw | 2 | Holding a pocket pair, needing one more to make trips. |
| Full House Draw | 4 | Having two pairs, needing one more to make a full house. |
Using Outs to Calculate Odds
Once you know your number of outs, you can estimate your chances of hitting a winning hand using the “Rule of 2 and 4”.
Odds (%) = Number of Outs × 2 (Turn) or × 4 (Turn + River)
For example, with a flush draw (9 outs), your odds of hitting on the turn are about 18% (9×2), and on the river about 36% (9×4).