Implied Odds

Knowing your poker odds is definitely an important concept to learn and the help they can provide to your game is tremendous. More importantly however is a sound understanding of two advanced poker concepts: implied odds and reverse implied odds. Implied odds represent the ratio between how much money you have to call now to how much you theoretically believe could be in the pot by the time of the showdown. Basically you are making an educated guess on how much you could win by the end and comparing it to how much you have to call right now. Here is an example of implied odds:

• There is currently $24 in the pot of an $8/$16 hold em game you are playing and your opponent has bet into you making the pot $32 which gives you pot odds of 4:1. You are fairly certain your opponent will play until the end, even if you make your hand and you believe that your hand will be the best when you complete it. By adding the two theoretical bets of $16 to the pot it is now at $64 and it is offering you implied odds of 8:1.

Reverse implied odds are the opposite of implied odds as the name would suggest. With reverse implied odds you are figuring out the ratio of how much money is in the pot now with how much you will have to call to get to the showdown. In situations like this, you are not certain if you have the best hand and you need to figure out how much money it is going to cost you to call down and figure it out in relation to what is currently in the pot.

Reverse implied odds are a very strange topic in that it is important to know but ultimately it is your gut and your skill of reading opponents that will determine whether or not you should continue, not a calculation of reverse implied odds that you do every time you think your hand is not quite the best. Below I have added links to some of my other poker related websites.

7 Stud Poker Stud H-L Poker Razz Poker 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball

HORSE Poker Badugi Poker Rush Poker Guide 27 Single Draw

When Are These Two Figures Important?

Implied odds basically are a mechanism for justifying draws when the pot isn’t currently paying enough. The thought is that you will be able to get more chips from your opponents thus making the draw worth it. There is a very important consideration however in that you must be almost 100% positive that your opponents will call or your implied odds calculation is nothing more than fancy schmasy poker talk that loses you money. Another important thing to consider is that implied odds have much more of an influence on pot limit and no limit games. In a limit game, your ability to influence the pot odds and implied odds is fairly small so they become less of an issue. In pot limit and no limit games however, you have the ability to influence pot odds and implied odds with your chips. You can make pot sized or larger than pot sized bets that either improve your implied odds or give your opposition poor reverse implied odds.

While these statistics are important to know and calculate, don’t get caught in the trap of talking yourself into having proper implied odds every time you want to try and draw to a hand and get lucky. Remember, it’s more than just figuring out what your odds would be if your opponents call, it’s being fairly certain that they will call or bet and that the money you have calculated will be there.

• Poker Odds Calc

• Poker Pot Odds

• Implied & Reverse Implied Odds