Hello,

I have a question how can I calculate in % how strong my hand is and If I should play, raise, check or fold. Someone told me once that I hold down 2 cards and 3 are on the table the rest of the possibilities are outs. How do I calculate in an instant how many outs do I have and how do I turn that into % . I can then ask the question based on my % should I check, raise or fold but that`s an entirely new topic.
Thank you very much,

I hope this doesn't become a long thread, with a lot of people telling you the same thing in different words. The first step is to think of what cards to come would improve your hand, and in particular which ones will give you a winning hand. Count how many of them there are. (the part about percentages and/or odds would take a little longer discussion - so see my next comment.)

The thing to do, though, rather than look here, is to either 1) get a beginning book on Holdem, because all of them will likely have a full chapter on this topic; or 2) google "counting outs and odds". You will find a bunch of sites that will give you explanations and examples.

This article will help you Calculating Odds in Texas Hold’em Poker

If used carefully and recognized as the approximation that it is, the rule of 2 and the rule of 4 might help. First count the number of cards that will improve your hand. For instance if you think you are currently beat, but you have a flush draw, there are 9 cards that will improve your hand (There are four cards of your suit in your hand or on the board, so 9 of that suit remain.

The rule of 2 is used to obtain the probability that the next card will be one of these. You simply multiply the number of cards that improve your hand by 2, and that is your approximate percentage chance of getting one of those cards on the next card dealt. In the example above, it would be about 18%.

If you have two cards left to be dealt, the rule of 4 is used to approximate the probability that at least one of those two cards will improve your hand. Simply multiply the number of cards that improve your hand by 4. In the above example that gives 36%.

Yes, a very deep subject for sure .. the Rule of 2 and 4 is very common for Players trying to learn the game. You first need to learn the number of 'standard' outs per situation

Pocket pair to improve to set is 2 outs
One pair to improve is 5 outs
Open ended straight draw is 8 outs
Flush draw is 9 outs

Obviously drawing to a five card hand is more valuable

If you have one pair and a flush draw you have 13 outs 'to improve' .. On the Flop you have 13x4=52% to improve, On the Turn you have 13x2=26% to improve.

When you are facing a bet you compare your outs to improve to the pot odds. If the pot is 50 and they bet 25 you are getting 3 (75) to 1 (25). 25 chips is now 25% of the pot. So if your outs to improve is over 25%, then you should stay in the hand one way or another.

Yes, after the Flop comes out you know what 5 of the 52 cards are .. so 47 are left. How many 'help' you and how many will 'help' your opponent. Remember if you think you are ahead in the hand, you don't need outs .. your opponent needs to improve so you want to estimate how many cards 'may' help them and that will help you with your decisions to check/bet/raise. GL