Memorizing odds and working out pot odds

[R3M0T3]

To learn the odds is it better for me to calculate the odds while im playing or is it better to memorize a odds chart for each out. Calculating pot odds seems quite difficult if say the pot is paying us 111 and the bet is 106

[SheridanCat]

I think it's best to understand how to calculate rather than just memorizing charts.

Given the example you gave in your post, can you work out your pot odds given you hold four to a flush after the flop? How about if you hold top-pair with top-kicker? See if you can work it out here. You may understand things better than you think you do.

We'll help if you get stuck.

[Wolitzer]

Definately learn to calculate the odds, it gets quicker as you repeat it. After a while of doing it it'll get easier and you'll become quicker at it.
Pot odds don't have to be spot on to the exact number, in the example you gave, if the pot is 111 and someone bets 106, its 106 for us to call into a 217 pot so its roughly 2:1.
Give examples and I'm sure anyone here will help you out if you get stuck.

[PantsOnFire]

I have memorized all preflop heads up odds in general. You should know things like pair vs. pair, overcards vs. underpair, etc.

As for outs when the flop comes, you should learn to calculate. The easist way is to simply double your outs to give yourself a rough percentage. For example, if you have a flush draw you have nine outs. Thus, you have about 18% to hit your flush on the next card and about 36% to hit it in two cards. You can get slightly more accurate by dividing the number of outs into the number of unseen cards.

So here is how I do it as an example. I have seen a flop and a turn. I have two pairs and I know somehow that my opponent has made a straight. I have four outs and there are 46 unseen cards. So I roughly have an 8% chance (2 x four) or 11:1 (46:4) odds of making my full house on the river.

"Calculating pot odds seems quite difficult if say the pot is paying us 111 and the bet is 106."

When you cacluate pot odds, like calculating draw odds, you can round off to simplify. So your example is easy in that you need to put in 106 into a pot of 217 (111+106). Exactly 2:1 would be a pot of 212 (106+106) so you are getting very slightly better than 2:1 odds. You don't need to be exact to make your decisions.

[deacsoft]

You may find this article to be somewhat helpful.

[R3M0T3]

Is it to my benefit if I know both the percentages and the odd ratios for each number of outs. For example 6 outs = 12.5% or 7:1. Also should i round either the odds or percentages to the nearest whole number. eg 12.5% rounded to 13% and 8.5:1 rounded to 9:1.

[PantsOnFire]

The only time rounding out might be a problem is when the decision is really close. And even then, you might want to base your decision on something else like tells or situation or reads, etc.

If you are conservative and the decision is close then fold. If you are a gambler then call. That's easy to remember right? You don't need to fill out three decimal places. Just find the right ballpark and go from there.

[jeffnc]

[ QUOTE ]
Calculating pot odds seems quite difficult if say the pot is paying us 111 and the bet is 106

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually that's quite simple since we round those things off. If there's 111 in the pot then someone bets 106, then just figure $200 in the pot and $100 to call. 2:1.