How to Determine Poker Hand Strength in Any Situation
Our Texas Hold’em cheat sheet discussed some basics concerning starting hand values and poker hand rankings, but games like Texas Hold’em can progress quickly. The hand and the possibilities change with each card that is drawn. So, how do you assess your hand strength in poker, and how do you get value from a winning hand or fold a losing one when you’re never quite sure what your opponents are holding?
There are a few things to consider when assessing poker hand strength.
How Do You Know the Poker Hand Strength of Your Opponent?
You can never know what your opponent is holding until the showdown when you see their cards. But you can make an educated guess based on what you have seen of them at the table so far.
Try to put yourself in their shoes and predict their range (which hands they play) and how they might act in a certain situation.
For example, assume you’re at a table with five other players, and Player X plays very tight. They have folded most of their hands preflop and have given up others very easily post-flop. Suddenly, Player X bets big pre-flop, and you call to see the flop.
It comes 4, 5, 6 off suit, and after a little hesitation, Player X bets again.
We can assume that they don’t have a straight in this situation. If they fold most hands, they likely have a small range that doesn’t include connected cards below J. For the same reason, it’s unlikely that they have a draw.
More likely, they have missed the flop entirely with an overcard (such as A or K) or have a big pocket pair. If they have missed, a big bet might scare them away; if not, and a 3 or 7 lands, another bet will almost certainly brush them off.
The more you pay attention to the other players, the more you will understand and the easier it will be to read them.
Be Unpredictable
If you can always read your opponents and bet like you have the best hand, it shouldn’t matter what you have, right? Well, not quite, as some players will bet to the end and try to out-bluff you. Moreover, if you always call their bluffs and try to bully them off strong hands, you’ll create a pattern that others will spot. Eventually, they’ll learn what you’re doing and will trap you.
For this reason, you must avoid creating any patterns in your own play. Don’t play big pocket pairs the same way every time. And if you flop a big flush or straight, mix up how you play it.
What to Do with the Nuts
The nuts is the best possible hand at any given time. But just because you have it now doesn’t mean you will have it at the showdown. If you’re holding pocket 7 and 8, and you see a flop of 4, 5, 6, you have a nut straight, but if the next two cards are a 7 and 8, everyone has at least the same hand as you, and you can also be beaten by a 9.
If someone has a pocket pair, they could improve to a full house or a four-of-a-kind, and there will always be flush potential. Simply put, just because you flopped the nuts doesn’t mean you have a guaranteed win.
It’s best, therefore, to get value where you can.
Flopping Big Hands
Every poker player feels excited when they flop a big hand. But that’s just half the battle. You could still lose the hand to something better, and there’s a chance your opponent will give up immediately and leave you with very little value from the hand.
Flopping Draws
When you’re chasing draws, always calculate your odds compared to the price of the wager. There’s no point in calling a bet for double the pot size if you’re chasing a single card, as the odds are stacked against you, and you’re not getting any value out of it. But it could be a decent bet if you have many outs and the turn and river to come.
Position also matters as it’ll be easier to decide your next move if you are in a late position than an early position.
Flopping Pairs and Two Pairs
Pairs aren’t a big deal, but you’re usually in a very good position if you flop two pairs. So, if you’re holding 9 and 10 and see a flop of 3, 4, 10, you’re strong. Bet the hand and scare away stragglers, as anyone clinging on with a higher card could catch a pair and beat you.
Two pairs are a different story. If you’re holding an A and 6 and see one of each on the flop, you now have dead man’s hand cards and likely have the strongest hand. Moreover, if another A or 6 lands, you’ll improve to a full house, leaving you in an even stronger position.
Bet for value. If they have something, they may call all of the way.
Flopping Straights
Flopping a straight, as noted above, can put you in a strong position, but unless it’s a Broadway (10 to Ace), someone could land a bigger one. So, push those stragglers out of the hand by betting the straight as soon as it lands.
Flopping Four-of-a-Kind
This is the point where you can consider trapping someone. Imagine holding pocket aces and seeing a board of A, A, 2. You’ll have the best hand until the end, but what is your opponent thinking? You know they don’t have an ace and think you could have just one.
If you bet the flop, they might think you’re bluffing, but they will fold if they don’t have a pocket pair or even a 2.
Instead, you could consider some passive betting. Let the turn come in the hope that they pair a card in their hand or catch a set. If it’s the latter, they’ll have a full house and may think they have the best hand; at this point, there’s a good chance they will call everything.
Summary: Poker Hand Strength
Whether you’re playing poker online or offline, there will always be a time when you need to calculate your odds and predict the hand strength of other players. It’s not easy, but nothing about playing poker at a high level is easy.
If you want to succeed at the highest level in this game, you must learn these things. Often, the best way to learn is to get out there and play. Buy your way into some poker tournaments, play cash games, or just check out some video poker games or freerolls. As long as you’re playing, you’re improving your knowledge of the game and learning more about poker hand strength strategy.
Poker Common Queries
How do you assess your poker hand?
Record your hands (check the poker hand history if playing online), check to see if you got the maximum value or folded at the right time, and consider how you could have played it better. You can’t win every hand, but you can play them all well.
What determines a good hand in poker?
Rarity is key. The less likely a hand is to appear, the higher the value will be, with the Royal Flush being the rarest of all. Ultimately, though, it all depends on the board and the other players. Even a high card can be a good hand if your opponent has nothing.
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