Odds in Poker - When Two Poker Hand Distributions Meet

When you start to think critically about poker, there will be many times where you will be trying to calculate ideas away from the poker table. Just as chess masters prepare for hours before a big match and are re-evaluating their preparation throughout the game, poker players need to be skilled at making comprehensive evaluations before and during a poker contest. One point of interest for poker enthusiasts is in the area of hand distributions.


What are Poker Hand Distributions?

A hand distribution is a range of hands an opponent is likely to have. For example, you may have determined that a certain Texas Holdem player only raises with big pairs. Therefore, every time he raises, you may be able to credit him for a hand distribution of JJ-AA. Having this information can be very useful, as it will enable you to outplay him on later streets even if he has position on you.


How Can You Apply Poker Hand Distributions During a Game?

If you are able to put an opponent on the range of hands mentioned above, then you can roughly determine how likely a particular flop is to have hit him. A flop of 6h 9s 9c is unlikely to have hit this player, and you may be able to bluff him off his hand. If you flop two pair on a flop of 3c 9s Th you may be able to check-raise this player all-in and relieve him of his entire stack. Being able to create informed hand distributions can help you make more profitable decisions all the way down the line.


When Do Two Poker Hand Distributions Meet?

This is where preparation comes into play. Perhaps you know a certain player loves to play middle suited connectors, and will bet with these hands if he hits a draw on the flop. You may wish to determine which distribution of hands plays best against suited connectors so that you can play said hands against this opponent. If you can find the right distribution of hands, you can give yourself an edge, since you will be playing the perfect hands to combat the hands this opponent is likely to have.

Also check out the winning odds for the hands your opponent is likely to hold. A Texas Holdem odds calculator may come in handy.

How Often Can You Use Poker Hand Distributions?

The reality is that many players play a variety of different hands in different situations and their range of hands does not always neatly fall into a linear distribution. However, just as in chess you need to consider all possible moves in a given situation, in poker you should consider all possible reasonable hands that a given player can hold in a given situation. If you not only know this, but also have at least a passing familiarity of how well these hands play in these situations, you have an advantage that you can exploit against almost any opposition.