Are there ways for math whizzes to work out poker hand probabilities?
One of the most widely played casino games globally is poker. From the popularity of online poker to huge real-world tournaments such as the World Series of Poker, it continues to go from strength to strength. A major reason for this is the ability of players to use strategy and deep thinking to be successful.
As a result of this, poker is a game you will see at any top internet casino. Resorts Casino is the premier NJ online casino site for poker players and has some interesting poker games to try. Along with a simple-to-use interface and awesome customer support, it also has other classic casino titles to enjoy when you need a poker break. Before you start to play there though, it is worth thinking a bit more about gaining an edge to win.
One way to gain an edge that many people talk about is math whizzes using their strong numerical skills to work out poker hand probabilities. What is this all about and can it be done?
Probability in poker
In essence, this comes down to using strong math skills to calculate how likely it is that certain hands may win or come up. If you can use your math skill to work out the probability of your hand winning, for example, it makes it much easier to know how to play.While this might sound fine in theory, can it really be done in the heat of battle? The simple answer is ‘yes’ – but it takes clear thinking under pressure and quick mental calculations.
How do you usemath to work out poker hand probabilities?
Building great math skills is handy for many things in life and poker is certainly one. This is because it makes it possible to react to things that happen in-play and work out the probability of your hand winning. A common starting point is taking the 1,326 potential two-card starting combinations and then dividing this number by the total possible hand combinations of any pair.
This can then show you how likely it is for an opponent to get a certain two-card hole combo when thinking of how to bet initially. Working out the probabilities of completing a hand from a number of outs can also come in handy. This is done by counting how many cards could make your hand better and then multiplying by 4 to see how likely they are to come up on the Turn. If they do not, you times by 2 to find out how likely they might come up on the River.
Math geniuses can have a poker edge
Poker is a game based on math essentially, and this means that anyone with strong math skills can have an edge. As the above shows, this is because it enables you to work out quickly in your head how likely it is that your hand might win or what the chances are of your opponent having a better hand than you.