Flush Draw
A flush draw is a hand with four cards of one suit that needs one more card of that suit to make a flush. In Hold'em it is usually a hand with two suited hole cards and two more of that suit on the board.
The simple explanation
With four cards of a suit and two cards still to come, a flush draw has nine outs: the nine remaining cards of that suit. You hit it about 35 percent of the time by the river when you see both cards, and about 19 percent on a single card. The number of outs makes a flush draw one of the best draws in the game, and often worth calling or even raising as a semi-bluff.
A closer look
Nine outs give roughly 36 percent equity against a made hand on the flop, which is why flush draws can be played aggressively. The strength of the draw depends on its rank: the nut flush draw (with the ace of the suit) is much more valuable than a low flush draw, because a low flush can lose to a higher one. Players also need to consider how many chips they can win when the flush arrives, which is a matter of implied odds.
A practical example
You hold A♥ 5♥ and the flop is 9♥ 7♥ 2♣. Any of the nine remaining hearts makes a flush.
Full explanation
A flush draw is a hand with four cards of one suit that needs one more card of that suit to make a flush. In Hold’em it is usually a hand with two suited hole cards and two more of that suit on the board.
A flush draw means that you have four cards of the same suit and are hoping for a fifth. There are nine cards of that suit left in the deck, because 13 cards belong to a suit and you can see four of them.
On the flop you have a bit more than one chance in three to complete the draw by the river.
A flush draw is a favorite semi-bluffing hand, because you can win by making your opponent fold or by hitting your flush.
The strongest version is the nut flush draw, with the ace of the suit.
Alternative spelling: flushdraw, flush-draw
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.