Outs in Poker
Outs are the foundation of probability in poker. If you know how many outs you have, you can estimate faster whether a call is worth it.
On this page, we explain what outs are, how you count them, and how you use them in decisions. If you want to go straight to the calculation, also read calculating outs.
You will also learn the difference between clean and dirty outs. That helps you avoid overestimating your chance to improve.
In addition, you will see how outs connect with pot odds. This helps you make calmer and more profitable choices at the table. We explain that comparison on the page about pot odds and hand odds.
Quick outs check at the table
Not sure during a hand? Use this quick check. It helps you avoid counting your outs too loosely.
- First determine your draw.
- Then count your raw outs.
- Subtract dirty outs right away.
- Estimate your chance with outs times two.
- Compare with your pot odds.
If your pot odds are better, calling is often logical. If your pot odds are worse, folding is usually better.
What are outs in poker
Outs are cards that improve your hand to probably the best hand. They determine how likely you are to complete your draw.
If you have a flush draw on the flop, there are usually nine cards left that complete your suit. Each of those cards is an out.
The more clean outs you have, the greater your chance to improve. Still, the value of an out always depends on the situation at the table.
Clean and dirty outs
Not all outs have the same value. An out only fully counts when that card improves your hand without helping your opponent.
Clean outs
A clean out improves your hand and probably does not give your opponent a stronger hand. You can count those outs with confidence.
With a flush draw on a safe flop, the nine outs of your suit are usually clean. There are no clear signs that an opponent scores better.
Dirty outs
A dirty out improves your hand, but probably also helps an opponent. In that case, the out is worth less than it first appears.
Suppose you have a flush draw and the flop is already paired. Then an opponent can make a full house if your flush card also pairs the board.
You should count those outs more carefully.
Common draws and their outs
Some draws appear often at the table. It helps to know their number of outs by heart.
That way, you count faster and make calmer decisions.
Common outs at a glance
This overview helps you act faster at the table. You immediately see which draws appear most often.
- Flush draw: nine outs
- Open-ended straight draw: eight outs
- Gutshot straight draw: four outs
- Set to full house or quads: seven outs
After that, always count your clean outs in the actual hand. This prevents you from judging a draw too positively.
Concrete examples with hand and board
Concrete hands show faster how outs work in practice. Below, we combine your hand, the board, and the number of outs.
That helps you judge more quickly whether a call is logical.
Example one: flush draw
- Your hand: A♥9♥
- Board: K♥7♥2♣
There are nine hearts left. So, you have nine outs.
Example two: open-ended straight draw
- Your hand: 8♠7♠
- Board: 6♦9♣K♣
You make a straight with a five or a ten. That gives you eight outs.
Example three: gutshot straight draw
- Your hand: 8♣7♦
- Board: 5♥6♠K♦
You make a straight only with a nine. That gives you four outs.
Example four: dirty outs
- Your hand: A♥9♥
- Board: K♥7♥7♣
A heart can make your flush. Still, not all hearts are clean.
If an opponent has a seven, the board can pair. Then your flush can still lose to a full house.
Conclusion: count outs critically, not automatically.
Open-ended straight draw
An open-ended straight draw has eight outs. You have four consecutive cards and can improve on both sides.
For example, if you have seven, eight, nine, and ten, every six and every jack is an out.
That gives you four on each side, so eight in total.
Flush draw
A flush draw has nine outs. You have four cards of the same suit and wait for a fifth.
This is one of the strongest draws in Texas Hold’em. Still, you should always check your outs for dirty cards.
Gutshot straight draw
A gutshot straight draw has four outs. You miss one card in the middle of a possible straight.
If you have five, six, eight, and nine, you only need a seven. There are four sevens in the deck, so you have four outs.
Combo draw
A combo draw combines two draws at the same time. For example, this can be a flush draw and an open-ended straight draw.
In that case, you add the outs, but you watch for overlap. A strong combo draw can have fifteen outs.
That gives a much higher chance to improve than a single draw.
How outs influence your decision
Outs are useful because they show your chance to improve. With that chance, you can then compare whether a call is worth it.
A quick rule of thumb is outs times two for the next card. If you have nine outs, your chance on the turn is about eighteen percent.
Next, you compare that chance with the pot odds you receive. If your pot odds are better than your hand odds, a call is often logical.
If they are worse, you pay too much. You can find more explanation on the page about odds.
Example: flush draw on the flop
Suppose you have a flush draw on the flop. You have two hearts in your hand and two hearts on the flop.
There are nine hearts left in the deck. Those are nine outs.
If you use the rule of thumb, you have about eighteen percent chance to improve on the next card.
From flop to river, that is about thirty-six percent.
Then you compare that chance with the pot odds. If you get more than four to one for your call, calling on the turn is often logical.
Outs and pot odds
Outs tell you how big your chance is. Pot odds tell you the price of your call.
Together, they determine whether calling is profitable.
If your chance to improve is greater than what the pot odds require, calling is often good long term.
If that chance is smaller, you pay too much.
That is the core of deciding with outs. You do not only count. You also compare with the price.
Common mistakes when counting outs
Beginners sometimes count outs too loosely. Because of that, a draw looks stronger than it really is.
A common mistake is counting dirty outs. Cards that also help an opponent count for less.
In addition, players sometimes forget that outs can overlap. If you have a flush draw and a straight draw, some cards count for both.
Do not count those cards twice.
Beginners also overestimate draws when the pot odds are wrong. Many outs do not help if the price of your call is too high.
Backdoor draws and runner-runner outs
Not all draws are directly visible after the flop. Sometimes you need two helpful cards in a row to complete a hand.
First, you need help on the turn. Then you need help again on the river.
That kind of draw is called a backdoor draw. It is also called a runner-runner draw.
You have a backdoor flush draw when you see three cards of the same suit after the flop, with two in your hand.
You then need two more cards of the same suit on the turn and river. The chance of a backdoor flush is about four percent, or roughly one in twenty-five.
A backdoor straight draw works similarly. You have three connected cards but still miss two links to complete the straight.
Depending on the exact combination, the chance is usually below five percent.
Backdoor draws do not count as full outs in your direct pot odds calculation.
They do add a small extra chance to your total equity. In practice, use them as a modest bonus, not as the basis for a call.
Frequently asked questions about outs
Final thoughts
Understanding outs is the first step toward better decisions at the table.
Once you know how many clean outs you have, you can estimate faster whether a call is logical.
Practice with recognizable draws. A flush draw with nine outs and a straight draw with eight outs are good starting points.
After that, counting quickly and confidently becomes easier.