What is the Rule of 4 and 2 in poker?

The Rule of 4 and 2 is a quick mental math shortcut for estimating your odds of hitting a draw. After the flop, multiply your outs by 4 to get your approximate percentage chance of hitting by the river. After the turn, multiply your outs by 2 to get your approximate percentage chance of hitting on the river.

What are pot odds in poker?

Pot odds are the ratio of the current pot size to the cost of a call. They tell you the minimum equity (win percentage) you need to make a call profitable. Formula: Required Equity % = Call Amount ÷ (Pot + Call Amount) × 100.

What starting hands should I play in Texas Hold'em?

Premium hands you should always play are AA, KK, QQ, JJ, and AKs. Strong hands include TT, 99, AKo, AQs, AJs, and KQs. Speculative hands like suited connectors and small pairs can be played cheaply in the right position with good implied odds.

Poker Cheat Sheet | Odds Calculator & Hand Rankings

Odds Calculator — click cards to select, right-click to clear

Your Hole Cards

Flop

Turn

River

Opponents:

Win

Tie

Lose

Hand Rankings

Royal Flush

A-K-Q-J-10 of the same suit — unbeatable

A
♠

K
♠

Q
♠

J
♠

10
♠

Straight Flush

Five consecutive cards, same suit

9
♥

8
♥

7
♥

6
♥

5
♥

Four of a Kind

Four cards of the same rank

A
♠

A
♥

A
♦

A
♣

K
♠

Full House

Three of a kind + a pair

K
♠

K
♥

K
♦

A
♠

A
♥

Flush

Five cards of the same suit, not consecutive

A
♦

J
♦

9
♦

6
♦

3
♦

Straight

Five consecutive cards, mixed suits

8
♠

7
♥

6
♦

5
♣

4
♠

Three of a Kind

Three cards of the same rank

Q
♠

Q
♥

Q
♦

A
♠

K
♣

Two Pair

Two different pairs

J
♠

J
♥

8
♦

8
♣

A
♠

One Pair

Two cards of the same rank

7
♠

7
♥

A
♣

K
♠

Q
♦

High Card

No matching cards — highest single card plays

A
♠

K
♣

J
♣

8
♥

3
♦

Outs & Odds Quick Reference

Draw Type	Outs	After Flop (approx)	After Turn (approx)
Flush Draw	9	35%	20%
Open-Ended Straight Draw	8	31%	17%
Flush Draw + Open-Ended Straight	15	54%	33%
Flush Draw + Gutshot	12	45%	26%
Two Overcards	6	24%	13%
Gutshot Straight Draw	4	17%	9%
Set → Full House or Quads	7	28%	15%
One Pair → Two Pair or Trips	5	20%	11%
Pocket Pair → Set	2	8%	4%

Rule of 4 & 2 — Quick mental math at the table:
• After the flop (2 cards to come): outs × 4 ≈ your chance of hitting
• After the turn (1 card to come): outs × 2 ≈ your chance of hitting

Pre-Flop Starting Hands Guide

Premium — Raise from any position

Always raise and re-raise. These are the strongest starting hands.

AAKKQQJJAKs

Strong — Play from most positions

Raise for value. Stay cautious on dangerous boards.

TT99AKoAQsAJsKQs

Playable — Prefer late position

Good hands that benefit from positional advantage. Tighten up from early position.

8877AQoATsKJsQJsJTsKQo

Speculative — Right conditions only

Play cheaply for implied odds. Fold to big pre-flop raises unless you have position.

66–22T9s98s87s76sAxsKTsQTs

s = suited | o = offsuit | The later you act, the more hands you can profitably play.

Pot Odds Reference

Pot odds tell you the minimum equity needed to call a bet profitably. If your equity > required %, call. Otherwise fold.

1 : 1

Need ≥50% equity

Opponent bets pot-size

2 : 1

Need ≥33% equity

Opponent bets half pot

3 : 1

Need ≥25% equity

Opponent bets ⅓ pot

4 : 1

Need ≥20% equity

Opponent bets ¼ pot

Formula: Required Equity % = Call ÷ (Pot + Call) × 100
Example: Pot $100, opponent bets $50. You need $50 ÷ ($150 + $50) × 100 = 25% equity to call.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best hand in poker?

The Royal Flush — A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠ — is the best possible hand in poker. It is an unbeatable straight flush from Ten to Ace, all of the same suit.

What beats a flush in poker?

A full house, four of a kind, straight flush, and royal flush all beat a flush. A flush beats a straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, and high card.

Does a straight beat a flush?

No. A flush beats a straight. The hand rankings from highest to lowest are: Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, High Card.

What is the Rule of 4 and 2?

The Rule of 4 and 2 is a quick mental math shortcut for estimating your draw odds at the table. After the flop (2 cards still to come), multiply your outs by 4 for your approximate percentage. After the turn (1 card to come), multiply your outs by 2. Example: a flush draw has 9 outs — after the flop that's roughly 9 × 4 = 36%, after the turn it's 9 × 2 = 18%.

What are pot odds and how do I use them?

Pot odds compare the size of the pot to the cost of your call, telling you the minimum equity you need to call profitably. Formula: Required Equity % = Call ÷ (Pot + Call) × 100. If your actual win percentage from the odds calculator exceeds the required equity, calling is mathematically profitable.

How many outs does a flush draw have?

A flush draw has 9 outs. There are 13 cards of each suit in the deck — if you have 4 of them, the remaining 9 complete your flush. After the flop you have roughly a 35% chance to hit by the river (9 × 4 = 36%).

What starting hands should I always play in Texas Hold'em?

The premium hands you should always raise with from any position are: AA, KK, QQ, JJ, and AKs (Ace-King suited). Strong hands like TT, 99, AKo, AQs, and KQs are also raise-worthy from most positions. Hands like suited connectors and small pairs are speculative and should generally be played cheaply with position advantage.

How accurate is the win percentage calculator?

The calculator runs 6,000 Monte Carlo simulations — randomly dealing the remaining board cards and opponent hole cards thousands of times to estimate your equity. Results are typically accurate to within ±1–2%. For a definitive answer on the river (all 5 board cards known), accuracy is highest since fewer random outcomes remain.