Odds of certain events on the flop in Texas Hold ‘em

I’ll probably make this a recurring post, because while the number of events that can occur on the flop is not infinite, there are certainly more than any one person can hope to grasp in a single sitting. So, for now, here’s a couple things to think about as you decide which hands to play [...]

Expectation and Poker

David Sklansky’s Theory of Poker is considered a seminal book for the discussion of mathematics and statistics in poker. He introduces the concept of Expectation as applied to gambling, but really it can be applied to any risk-based transaction from the stock market to the lottery.
The basic example he uses of a coin-flip makes it [...]

Starting hand odds in Texas Hold’em

Texas Hold’em starting hands contain only two cards. The remaining cards are dealt as community cards.
Here’s the frequency of getting certain combinations of cards to form hands:

You’ll start with…
One time in…

Suited Cards
4

A pair or an ace
5

Unsuited cards, 10 or higher
11

Any Pair
17

Suited cards, 10 or higher
33

Pair of Jacks or higher
56

A-K unsuited
111

Pair of Aces
221

A-K suited
332

For [...]