When you have a draw (an unfinished flush or straight), you need to know how likely you are to hit it. For that you count your outs and use the rule of 2 and 4.
What outs are
They're the cards that complete your hand. Examples: if you're one card away from a flush and you have 4 of the suit, there are 9 outs left (13 of the suit − 4 you can see). An open-ended straight has 8 outs; a gutshot, 4.
A♥
K♥
9♥
8♥
5♣
The rule of 2 and 4
- •On the flop (2 cards to come): multiply your outs by 4. 9 outs ≈ 36% to hit by the river.
- •On the turn (1 card to come): multiply by 2. 9 outs ≈ 18%.
With that % you compare against what it costs to call (the pot odds): if your equity beats the price, you call. If not, you fold.
💡 It's an estimate, not exact, but it gives you the answer at the table in 2 seconds — which is exactly what you need.
🎯 Practice your equity calculation→