An out is an unseen card that improves your hand to one you expect to win. A draw is a hand that isn’t there yet but has outs, like four cards to a flush. Counting outs is the first step to deciding whether a call is worth it.
The common draws
| Draw | Example | Outs | Flop to river | One card |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flush draw | A♥7♥ on K♥9♥2♣ | 9 | About 35% | About 19% |
| Open-ended straight draw | 9♠8♦ on 10♣7♥2♠ | 8 | About 31% | About 17% |
| Gutshot straight draw | 9♠8♦ on J♣7♥2♠ | 4 | About 17% | About 9% |
| Flush draw plus open-ender | 9♥8♥ on 10♥7♥2♣ | 15 | About 54% | About 32% |
| Flush draw plus gutshot | 9♥8♥ on Q♥10♥2♣ | 12 | About 45% | About 26% |
| Two overcards | A♣Q♦ on 9♠6♥2♣ | 6 | About 24% | About 13% |
| Pocket pair to a set | 5♦5♣ on K♠9♥2♣ | 2 | About 8% | About 4% |
“One card” is the chance of hitting on the next card only. “Flop to river” assumes you see both the turn and the river, which only happens for sure when you’re all-in.
The rule of 2 and 4
You don’t need the chart at the table. Multiply your outs by 2 for one card to come, or by 4 for two cards to come.
- Flush draw on the turn: 9 × 2 = about 18%.
- Flush draw on the flop, all-in: 9 × 4 = about 36%.
- Open-ender on the turn: 8 × 2 = about 16%.
The ×4 shortcut only makes sense when you’ll see both cards. If there’s still a bet coming on the turn, use ×2 and price the calls one street at a time. Above about 8 outs, ×4 runs a little high, so knock a few points off for big combo draws.
Clean outs and dirty outs
An out is dirty when it improves your hand but also gives your opponent something better. Example: you have 6♥5♥ on K♥9♥2♠, and the other player has A♥Q♥. Every heart still gives you a flush, but they have the ace-high flush, so your “outs” lose. Against that hand, your flush outs are worth nothing.
More common cases:
- A card that completes your straight but puts three of a suit on the board, when your opponent could have the flush.
- A card that pairs the board and could give someone a full house.
- An overcard that gives you top pair but a weak kicker against a raiser’s range.
When in doubt, count a questionable out as half.
Don’t count the same card twice
With 9♥8♥ on 10♥7♥2♣ you have a flush draw (9 outs) and an open-ender (8 outs). That isn’t 17 outs. The J♥ and 6♥ make both, so they’re only counted once: 9 + 8 − 2 = 15 outs.
A hand, start to finish
$1/$3. You call a raise on the button with J♠10♠. The flop is Q♠9♦3♠, giving you a flush draw and an open-ender. The blinds fold and the raiser bets $20 into $28.
Your outs: 9 spades, plus three non-spade kings and three non-spade eights, 15 in all. That’s about 32% for the next card and over 50% by the river. The bet asks you to put in $20 to win a final pot of $68, about 30%. Calling is clearly fine, and raising as a semi-bluff is often better, because you win when they fold and have plenty of equity when they don’t.
Put that count against the price every time. Pot odds shows how, and equity explains what the percentages mean.
FAQ
How many outs does a flush draw have?
Nine. There are 13 cards in a suit, and you can see four of them in your hand and on the board, so nine are left.
What is the rule of 2 and 4 in poker?
A shortcut for turning outs into a percentage. Multiply outs by 2 for one card to come and by 4 for two cards to come. Nine outs is about 18% on one card and 36% on two.
What is a gutshot?
A straight draw that needs one specific rank in the middle, like holding 9-8 on a J-7-2 board and needing a 10. It has four outs.
What is a dirty out?
A card that improves your hand but also makes a better hand for your opponent, like hitting a low flush when they hold the ace of that suit.
By the TorontoPoker.org editorial team · Updated September 2026 · 19+ · Play responsibly