Reading the board

If you want to become a skilled Texas hold'em poker player you must know how to read the board. To read the board means to be able to calculate the strongest possible hand based on the community cards on the board. It also means to be able to tell what hands are not possible, so you can exclude them when making your decisions. Remember to deduce your own cards from the opponent possible hands.

So, how do you know what hands are possible ?

Some examples:

* If there are a pair on the board, someone could have hit a 4-of-a-kind. Without a pair on board, you can exclude the possibility of anyone having a 4-of-a-kind. A pair on the board also makes a full-house possible. If you do not have at least a set or a good draw when the board pairs, be careful.

* If there are 3 suited cards on board, that make a flush possible. Be careful if you, for example, have a set or a straight when a flush could be out there. Be extra careful after the flop if (at least) 2 of the community cards are suited, since people seem to chase flushes way to often. The chance of hitting a flush after the flop with 4 suited cards are about 19% each on the turn and river. (This makes about 35% chance to hit on the turn OR the river). But if you have the straight after the flop or turn, and there is a 4-card flush possible, don't give your opponents a free-shot at the flush. Make a big raise to scare them away or to make them pay big-time for their chance.

* If there are sequence cards on board, that make a straight possible. For example, if the flop comes 2,3,6 someone might have the two missing cards 4 and 5. Do not forget that A,2,3,4,5 also make a straight, so with A,3,5 on board there is also a possible straight out there.

Imagine you are sitting in late position, and you get:

The flop shows:

You draw following conclusions:

- You have 4 outs to make a straight (you need a 5). You have a weak hand and should fold it if someone else raise.

* There are no possible flush among your opponents, but someone could have a 4-hand flush, with approximately 35 % of making it by the river.

* There are no possible straight either, but someone could have any of the combination(s) 2,4 needs a (5), 4,5 (need a 2 or a 7), 5,7 (need a 4) and 4,7 (needs a 5)

Right now "the nuts" would be AA(A). But it is a dangerous hand with a lot of possibilities.

Now, the turn card shows:

- You have a weak middle pair. Do not play this hand very strong, be very careful.

* It could be a possible flush out there. Be careful.

* It could also be a possible straight with the combination 4,5 (3,4,5,6,7). However, the player holding this straight should beware of the possible flush.

Now, the final card, the river shows:

- The river card did not help your hand. You still have a weak hand and should play it very carefully.

* There are possible flushes among the opponents. The "nuts" are at this moment K,Q of clubs. If you by any chance would hold K,Q of clubs you should probably go all-in. Hopefully someone else has a flush or a straight and will follow you. If you have a weak flush, play it quite strong, but be careful of putting all your chips in the pot. However, there definetely are players out there that would not hesitate to go all-in on the straight so base your decision on your knowledge and notes about your opponents aswell.

* There are also two new straights possible with 8,10 (6,7,8,9,10)or 5,8 (5,6,7,8,9)

The example above hand is quite complicated but it is a good example of how the board can change.

We hope that you found this article interesting and remember that board reading is a great help to figure out the possible strength of the hands around the table.