Understanding Open Ended Straight Draw
An open ended straight draw occurs when the cards needed to finish our straight can be found on both ends of the defined range. For example, if we possess the cards 6, 7, 8, and 9, drawing either a Ten or a Five will complete our straight. This situation makes us approximately twice as likely to complete an open ended straight draw compared to achieving an inside straight draw. complete In this scenario, we've flopped an open ended straight draw , since any Ace or Nine will finalize our straight.
Here is a Hold’em example.
Board: K ♣ T ♣ 5 ♠
Hand: J ♦ Q ♦
Illustration of Open Ended Straight Draw in Context -> Our open ended straight draw failed to complete on the river, forcing us to fold in the face of our opponent’s follow-up wager.
Incorporating Open Ended Straight Draw into Your Poker Strategy
The strategy for effectively playing open ended straight draws is closely tied to the specific poker variant being played. However, there are some generalized strategic insights to consider -
1. Is our open ended straight draw drawing to the nuts? Strong draws that reach the nuts are always superior to those that don't, as non-nut draws carry a risk of being outmatched when they complete.
2. If we choose to play our open ended straight draw aggressively, can we count on creating fold equity? Aggressive plays are particularly effective if we expect others to fold.
3. In a game of Hold’em, are we utilizing one or both of our hole cards to formulate our open ended straight draw ? Typically, having two cards for an open ended straight draw is more advantageous than relying on just one.
4. In Omaha poker, does our open ended straight draw come with supplementary draws? Isolated open ended straight draws in Omaha are generally seen as weak, even if they aim for the nuts.
5. In Draw and Stud games, what is the potential strength of our open ended straight draw upon completion? The higher the top card of the completed straight, the greater the value of that draw.
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See Also
Gutshot , Inside Straight Draw , Draw , Equity , Hold’em , Omaha , Stud , Fold