Draw Live
Drawing live means drawing to a hand that would win if you completed it.
The simple explanation
If you are drawing live, your draw can still beat your opponent. For example, the opponent has a flush and you hold two pair: if you make a full house, you win. The opposite is drawing dead.
A closer look
Drawing live is the minimum requirement for a draw to have any value. A draw can be live yet thin, which means you have a small chance. A player who draws live should compare the number of outs and the price before calling.
A practical example
The opponent has a flush. You hold two pair, which can improve to a full house. You are drawing live to his hand.
Full explanation
Drawing live means drawing to a hand that would win if you completed it.
Drawing live is drawing to a hand that will win if it is made. It is the opposite of drawing dead.
In the example, the opponent has a flush. You have two pair and need a card to make a full house, which would beat the flush. You are drawing live.
A live draw has outs, which are the cards that win. How many outs it has determines how strong the draw is.
You can say you are drawing live ‘to his hand’, meaning the specific hand the opponent holds.
A flush 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 clubs (Kc)KKing of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 199 · In this round 1
- Player B BB AAce of hearts (Ah)55 of hearts (5h) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Preflop · Pot: 8 chips
Player A raises to 6 before the flop.
- Player A BTN / SB KKing of clubs (Kc)KKing of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Player B BB AAce of hearts (Ah)55 of hearts (5h) · 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 clubs (Kc)KKing of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Player B BB AAce of hearts (Ah)55 of hearts (5h) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Flop · Pot: 12 chips
Player B holds two hearts and two more hearts are on the flop. That is a flush draw: one more heart makes a flush.
Board: 99 of hearts (9h)77 of hearts (7h)22 of clubs (2c)
- Player A BTN / SB KKing of clubs (Kc)KKing of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
- Player B BB AAce of hearts (Ah)55 of hearts (5h) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
Cards are shown for learning; totals are displayed before pot collection.