Without knowing the type of flop and the definition of the nuts, it’s hard to make poker profitable. And before you sit down at the gaming table, the beginner will have to get acquainted with the poker terminology. The cornerstone in poker is the board, the structure of which determines the probability of winning the hand. In the review, we will look at the main types of flop and explain what the nuts are.
Flop in Texas Hold’em
The flop is the second round (street) in a game of poker with community cards – Omaha and Hold’em. Three cards appear on the table, so 60% of the board is already known. On the Flop it becomes clear:
- Potential of starting cards;
- The probability of making a winning combination;
- Chances of receiving opponents’ bets.
On the next streets – Turn and Rivera – 1 more card is put on the board. They can both strengthen the players’ hands and weaken them. And although a lot depends on the last rounds of the game, the Flop is considered to be the most violent moment in poker.
The specifics of playing cards will depend on:
- Events on the preflop;
- Bank values;
- Bet sizes.
And the higher the stakes in the game, the more reluctantly poker players leave the draw.
Flop Types in Hold’em
The three community cards on the table, called the flop, are updated in poker every hand. Depending on their suit, rank, and combination, the structure of the board can be different.
What is a low/high flop?
The flop is called low or high depending on the face value of the dropped cards:
- 2-7-9 – low flop;
- A-K-Q – High Flop.
Naturally, such extremes are rare. In 2/3 of the cases, mixed cards appear on the table – A-J-2, Q-4-10, etc. Nevertheless, this characteristic is important, because it determines how equity is distributed between opponents at the same table.
What is a dry flop?
If the cards on the board do not even theoretically allow you to collect a Flush Draw or Straight, such a flop is called a dry flop. An example is an offsuit table from K-2-7. This situation provides optimal playing conditions for the preflop aggressor:
- The range of equity will be greater than that of opponents;
- A continuation bet can be made on the Turn or River with both a strong hand and a bluff.
What is a wet flop?
If the cards on the table involve the formation of a large number of draw combinations, such a flop is called wet. For example, if 7s-9s-K appears on the board, then opponents can get:
- Open-ended straight draw;
- Gutshot;
- Flush draw, etc.
And the more potential combinations in the second round of the game, the wetter the Flop is considered.
What is a suited flop?
In 5% of cases, 3 suited common cards fall out on the second street. Playing this Flop is not easy because:
- Any starting Pair has little value;
- One of the opponents can immediately make a Flush;
- Getting another suited card on the Turn or River will negate the value of the starting hand.
What is a Paired Flop?
In 17% of the cases, the players on the Flop get a ready shared Pair. An example of such a table would be:
- 4-8-8;
- J-2-J;
- 9-A-A.
The manner in which cards are played on a paired Flop depends on the suit and rank of the paired cards. If the board comes up with a 7-2-2 offsuit, the flop is considered dry. With such cards, it is problematic to strengthen the starting cards. But if the board hits J-Js-Qs, opponents have a better chance of improving the hand.
Nuts in poker
The nuts are called the strongest combination in the current hand. The player who received such a hand pursues only one goal – knocking money out of opponents and increasing the bank.
Nuts Features:
- The strongest combination cannot be obtained in the first round of the game. And if you have a Pair of Aces in your hands when playing Hold’em, then with it the probability of winning will be only 80%.
- You can hit the nuts on the Flop, Turn, or River. And only the formation of the nuts in the last round guarantees a poker player a 100% victory.
In poker, there are 2 types of nuts – current and absolute. If you make the current strongest hand on the Flop, then there is still a chance your opponent will get a stronger hand. With the absolute nuts, you don’t have to worry about someone running over your hand.
Knowing the types of flop and the definition of the nuts will make it easier for you to assess the prospects of your cards and the advisability of entering the draw!