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How to Play Straight Draws in Online Poker

  • Published Date March 19, 2020
  • By Admin

How to Play Straight Draws in Online Poker

To get five consecutive cards in a hand of Poker, whether you play poker online or at traditional casinos is pretty rare. Your odds to make a straight in Texas Hold’em is just 4.6%. But if you do make a straight, you will have one of the highest-ranking hands and chances are that you will win an enormous amount of pot in the process.

In this online poker guide, we will show the different moves that you should make with different types of straight draws, and some of the Poker odds that you will face during the game when you play online Poker for real money.

Types of Straight Draws

Open-ended straight draw: While playing Poker when you find yourself with four cards to a straight, you get excited, and your mouth starts watering for that extra money. But remember one thing, not all straight draws are created equal. 

If you have four cards that are already consecutive like 6-5-4-3, this means you have an open-ended straight draw, also called outside straight draw. In this case, either a 7 or a 2 will complete a five-card straight. So, that’s eight outs to make a straight (four cards to complete the top of a straight and four at the bottom of a straight).

Gutshot straight draw: If you have a drawing hand that requires to hit a specific card rank of any suit in the middle to complete the straight is known as gutshot straight draw. For instance, if you have 3-4-6-7, this is known as gutshot or inside straight draws. Gutshot gives you four outs to make a straight: the four 5s in the deck. 

Your chances of completing a gutshot are small compared to an open-ended straight draw. Thus, it would be best if you treat these Poker hands differently in your Poker strategy.

Double gutshot draw: The another category of the straight draw is a double inside straight draw, or double belly buster draw, or double gutshot draw. This kind of straight draw is a hand when either of the two ranks will make a straight. Both are inside draws. For instance, your hole cards consist of J-9, and the flop comes K-10-7, either an 8 or a Q will complete the inside straight draws.

Open-Ended Straight Draw Strategy

It is usually a good idea to quickly play your draws in Hold’em when you are on the flop – that means to bet or raise rather than to check or call. Doing this does two things in your favour: folding your opponent, or failing to do so, you can complete your draw on the turn or on the river. This strategy is recommended for the novice player, and often the right play irrespective of the skill level of the players.

If opponents get to the turn and the draw is yet to complete, it is a tough decision whether to double-barrel with another street of aggression or not. But it is easier if the turn card is blank that does not connect well with the rest of the board. When this situation occurs, a turn bet is more probable to persuade a fold from your opponents. Novice players may want to evade double-barreling as a guideline if the turn isn’t a blank – and save the rare triple-barrel bluff for professional players if your draw fails to complete by the river.

Gutshot Straight Draw Strategy

With four outs to make a straight, your gutshot straight draw strategy does not have as much equity as an open-ended approach, so to bluff with these hands is not suggested for novice players. 

On the other hand, for professional players, the gutshot approach is an excellent opportunity to bluff on the flop. This move can be best used when you are facing an opponent with a wide range. For example, if the button opens and you call from the big blind. When there is a continuation bet, you may raise with your gutshot strategy and often persuade them to fold, particularly when the board comes out with three low cards.

When to Chase Straight Draws

There is a time when you should play draws aggressively and a time to play passively by checking, in a hope to see the next card for free and complete your draw. This can be the right decision when the players are out of position and are the first to act versus the pre-flop aggressor, or in any multi-way situation. 

If your opponent fires a small continuation bet (c-bet) rather than checking back, and they have the pot odds to continue, consider calling and seeing if the next card completes the straight. Following the passive approach during online Poker tournaments on Gamentio makes even more sense, where the focus is on survival rather onchip accumulation.

Poker Odds for Straight Draws

Your pot odds to complete the straight draw will depend on the size of the pot and your chances of making your best hand. To rapidly estimate the latter, don’t forget the Rule of Four and Two: On the flop, multiply your outs by four and multiply your outs by two on the turn. Double inside draw or open-ended draw has eight outs, so it gives you roughly a 32% chance to complete with two more cards to come, or 16% with one more card. A gutshot has four outs, so it gives you about half the chance, i.e. 16% and 8% respectively.

 

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