Pots with Implied Odds
poker online players rely on pot odds - the ratio of bet amount to pot size and drawing card probabilities - to determine whether or not to call a bet. Sometimes though the pot odds calculation does not tell the whole story and one has to think another round ahead to consider implied pot odds. When the pot odds are just marginally good for a call post-flop, then think ahead to how big the pot might grow at the turn and river. For instance, say you are holding a small pocket pair in the big blind, which gives you a one-in-eight probability of hitting a set on the flop. A raise comes out making the bet 15, which is called by two poker players before the option gets back to you. The pot now holds 47 bets and you have to put in 13 on top of your blind to call. Strictly speaking, the pot odds are unfavorable and you are paying a big price to draw. However, the chips that could continue to flow into the pot if you do hit your set will more than offset the cost of this bet. The pot will grow on the turn and the river - and those are your implied pot odds. To call based on implied pot odds in online poker, you have to be ready to accept that your set most likely will not materialize and that you will have to lay down your hand after the flop. Even if one of your two outs hits on the turn or river, the board texture could still turn dangerous for your low set. Pot odds are always a good guideline for deciding how to bet. But sometimes, you must look ahead to implied odds too to see if a large pot could develop.