Combo Draw
A combo draw is a hand with both a straight draw and a flush draw at the same time.
The simple explanation
A combo draw gives you two ways to improve. For example, you hold ten-nine of clubs and the flop has a jack and a four of clubs plus an eight. You have a flush draw and an open-ended straight draw together, which means many cards help. To count your outs, add up the cards that complete your straight and your flush, and remove cards that count twice. That gives you the total number of outs.
A closer look
Combo draws are powerful because of the number of outs. Some of them are so strong that they are favorites against a made hand. Ten-nine of clubs against a pair of kings on a jack-eight-four flop with two clubs wins over 56 percent of the time. These hands can be played aggressively, because you can win by making the opponent fold or by hitting your draw. Players value combo draws highly because they work for both semibluffing and value. With a combo draw you can raise as a semibluff and still have a good chance of winning if called.
A practical example
Player B holds ten-nine of clubs and Player A holds a pair of kings. The flop gives Player B an open-ended straight draw and a flush draw, so Player B has a combo draw.
Full explanation
A combo draw is a hand with both a straight draw and a flush draw at the same time.
A combo draw, or combination draw, is a drawing hand that has both a straight draw and a flush draw. A typical example is holding suited connectors on a flop that has two cards of the suit and connects with the hand.
Because many cards help, a combo draw can be stronger than a made hand. Against a single pair, the draw can be a favorite, since it has many outs.
This is why players often raise with combo draws on the flop. If the opponent folds you win immediately, and if they call you still have a good chance to improve.
A combo draw needs a straight draw and a flush draw at the same time. A gutshot together with a flush draw is also a combo draw, but it has fewer outs than an open-ended straight draw with a flush draw.
A combo draw
No-limit Hold’em · Blinds 1/2 chips · No rake
The blinds are 1 and 2 chips. Heads-up, the dealer (D) also posts the small blind.
Read the example transcript
Player A has the button (BTN) and posts the 1-chip small blind (SB). Player B posts the 2-chip big blind (BB).
- Preflop · Pot: 3 chips
The blinds are 1 and 2 chips. Heads-up, the dealer (D) also posts the small blind.
- Player A BTN / SB KKing of diamonds (Kd)KKing of hearts (Kh) · Stack 199 · In this round 1
- Player B BB 1010 of clubs (Tc)99 of clubs (9c) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Preflop · Pot: 8 chips
Player A raises to 6 before the flop.
- Player A BTN / SB KKing of diamonds (Kd)KKing of hearts (Kh) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Player B BB 1010 of clubs (Tc)99 of clubs (9c) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Preflop · Pot: 12 chips
Player B calls. Each player has put in 6 chips.
- Player A BTN / SB KKing of diamonds (Kd)KKing of hearts (Kh) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Player B BB 1010 of clubs (Tc)99 of clubs (9c) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Flop · Pot: 12 chips
The flop is dealt. Player B has no pair, but any club makes a flush and any queen or seven makes a straight. Player B acts first.
Board: JJack of clubs (Jc)88 of diamonds (8d)44 of clubs (4c)
- Player A BTN / SB KKing of diamonds (Kd)KKing of hearts (Kh) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
- Player B BB 1010 of clubs (Tc)99 of clubs (9c) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
- Flop · Pot: 12 chips
Player B checks.
Board: JJack of clubs (Jc)88 of diamonds (8d)44 of clubs (4c)
- Player A BTN / SB KKing of diamonds (Kd)KKing of hearts (Kh) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
- Player B BB 1010 of clubs (Tc)99 of clubs (9c) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
- Flop · Pot: 20 chips
Player A bets 8 with a pair of kings.
Board: JJack of clubs (Jc)88 of diamonds (8d)44 of clubs (4c)
- Player A BTN / SB KKing of diamonds (Kd)KKing of hearts (Kh) · Stack 186 · In this round 8
- Player B BB 1010 of clubs (Tc)99 of clubs (9c) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
- Flop · Pot: 28 chips
Player B calls with a combo draw: a flush draw and a straight draw at the same time. The draw is about as likely to win as the pair.
Board: JJack of clubs (Jc)88 of diamonds (8d)44 of clubs (4c)
- Player A BTN / SB KKing of diamonds (Kd)KKing of hearts (Kh) · Stack 186 · In this round 8
- Player B BB 1010 of clubs (Tc)99 of clubs (9c) · Stack 186 · In this round 8
Cards are shown for learning; totals are displayed before pot collection.