by frog » Tue Nov 09, 2004 6:01 pm
We've all been there. The river puts a 3rd suited card on the board, and our set of Jacks gets beat by a flush. You want to shout how can you play 9,3 suited. I raised preflop, bet on the flop, bet on the turn, you never had close to pot odds. Of course all you say is nice hand, after all you are both a decent poker player and a decent person.
So what are the actual odds of hitting a flush in Texas Hold'em?
I'm glad you asked.
Starting with two suited cards there is a 6.4% chance that you will make a flush. That is about one out of every 16 hands (15.6 to be exact). However if we assume that you fold unless you get at least two more suited cards on the flop the odds of making the flush are 4.7% or about one out of every 21 hands. The odds that you will hit the flush on the flop is 0.8% or one out of every 119 times.
Ok, so lets say you are in the big blind with a J,6 suited and you get to see the flop for free. The Flop brings two more suited cards and you have four to the flush. The odds that you will get the flush by the river is 35% (1 out of 2.9). The odds you will hit your flush draw on the turn is 19.1% or once every 5.2 times. If you miss it one the turn, you have a 19.6% chance you will hit it on the river (1 out of 5.1).
Just to recap:
Preflop
1 out of 15.6 (6.4%) overall that you will hit the flush.
1 out of 21.4 (4.7%) if you don't consider going runner-runner.
Flop
1 out of 2.9 (35%) that you will hit a flush draw on the turn or the river.
1 out of 5.2 (19.1%) that you will hit a flush draw on the turn.
Turn
1 out of 5.1 (19.6%) that you will hit a flush draw on the river.