Explanation of Straight
A straight is achieved when a player holds five cards that are in a sequential order with no interruptions.
For example, in Hold’em -
Board: Q♠T♦9♥
Hand 1: K♣J♣
Hand 2: J♦8♦
In this scenario, both hand 1 and hand 2 showcase a straight . When two participants both have a straight, the victor is established by identifying the highest card involved in forming the straight . In this case, hand 1 holds a \"King-high straight \", while hand 2 possesses a \"Queen-high straight \". Consequently, hand 1 takes the pot.
The ultimate straight attainable in poker is known as the Ace-high straight (T, J, Q, K, A), often called 'broadway'. Interestingly, the Ace can also create the lowest straight, A, 2, 3, 4, 5, commonly known as 'the wheel'. It's crucial to point out that an Ace cannot occupy the middle position in a straight; for instance, Q, K, A, 2, 3 is simply Ace-high and does not qualify as a straight.
Board: K♠Q♠T♣9♥5♦
Hand 1: J♥8♥
Hand 2: A♦J♦
Keep in mind that a straight can be formed by utilizing just one (or even none) of your hole cards. In this case, hand 1 has created a King-high straight using solely the Jack. Even though the Eight is connected to the potential straight draw, it is not counted here as it does not belong to the King-high straight (9, T, J, Q, K). Hand 1
technically presents a remarkable 6-card straight in this particular scenario, but this is irrelevant in a poker variant that only considers 5 cards when determining a hand.
Hand 2 is declared the winner here, as it can utilize both the Jack and the Ace to create the broadway Ace-high straight .
Example of a Straight used in a sentence -> On the turn, we drew the open ended straight draw but ultimately managed to complete the straight by the river.
How to Incorporate Straight into Your Poker Strategy
Straights are formidable hands in No Limit Hold'em and often possess enough strength to justify playing for large pots in a 100bb cash game. Nonetheless, it's important to exercise caution concerning the following situations:
a) Straights on paired boards.
b) Straights appearing on boards with a potential flush present.
c) The lower end of a straight , particularly when formed with only one hole card.
It's essential to realize that straights created using two hole cards will always be more powerful than those made with a single hole card. This is due to the fact that straights with two cards are generally less transparent, which facilitates extracting value. A two-card non-nut straight can still be a strong asset in Hold'em, while a one-card non-nut straight can lead to significant trouble if overvalued.
One-card straights cannot be formed in games like Omaha, as players must use exactly two of their hole cards to construct a hand. Nevertheless, the nut straight remains a solid hand in Pot Limit Omaha, but caution must be taken when playing the nut straight on the flop or turn without any potential redraws. It is common for multiple players to have the nut straight , so the player with the highest redraws will generally come out ahead. The non-nut straight in PLO should be approached carefully since it can frequently be significantly outclassed when players aim to commit all their chips in a 100bb cash game.
See Also
High Hand , Two Pair , Three of a Kind , Flush , Full House , Quads , Straight Flush , Royal Flush , Hold’em , Omaha , Counterfeit , Effective Stacks