Turns in poker: strategies and features of the game

Each game of poker is filled with exciting moments that accompany the player throughout the process. The following stages of poker are considered to be classic: Preflop; Flop; Turn; River. Each stage is accompanied by bets and ends with the reveal of cards during the showdown. Players assess the strength of their hands, and the cards reveal their secrets.

Not every player reaches all of these stages, but it is important for every poker player to understand the features and risks. The rules of the game are especially useful for beginners. Sometimes it’s better to fold preflop than to take risks and lose more in the future. Trading, the first stage in the world of poker, is known as preflop. There are no shared cards on the board yet, but players can already feel the strength of their hands, taking into account their pocket cards from the dealer.

In poker games such as Texas Hold’em and Omaha, the adventure begins in preflop, as these and other variations of poker have common cards on the table. During the preflop, players have to make decisions: whether to continue playing, what tactics to choose, or whether it is better to fold and wait for the next round.

Assessment of card strength:

1. If you have a monster hand, it’s a great time to raise and take action. Opponents with weak hands can be eliminated by increasing the pot.
2. If you have a marginal hand, your task is to get through preflop by minimising your bets. In this situation, raising is inappropriate. It is better to call. If there are enough players to continue the game, a successful flop can improve your hand and eliminate several opponents.
3. If you have a ‘garbage’ hand, continuing to participate in the game is associated with great risks. If you are a beginner and have no experience in extreme situations, it is better to fold and avoid losses.

Read also: The concept of ante in poker, its influence on the game strategy.

Turn in poker: strategies and features of the game

In Texas Hold’em, late streets turn into real battlegrounds where huge bets and unpredictable mistakes are formed. Poker players are on the verge of a nervous breakdown, making decisions that can cost them their entire stack. Among all the late streets, the turn is of particular importance, the fourth common card that can turn the game upside down. In general, the turn is where the game can change dramatically: unprepared hands (draws) from the flop can either form or fall into the void.

Turn: an exceptional opportunity or a silent horror?

In the classic Texas Hold’em of the online casinos included in the rating, players face five streets of bidding. The turn is the third of them, where the fourth common card is dealt. This stage is called the ‘turn’ for a reason, because it is here that the turning point occurs. The moment that can turn the whole game around. As with the previous cards, a new common card on the Turn in poker opens up new perspectives, makes hands stronger or, on the contrary, weaker.

Poker hand tricks

The gameplay begins with the placement of blinds, blind bets, players in the big and small blinds (BB and SB). Each participant usually adds ante bets of 10-12% of the big blind. After the initial sweat is formed, players receive their cards and bidding begins on the preflop, the first street. The action starts with the player in the early UTG position, followed by MP, CO, BU (button), SB and BB. The first three common cards are laid out on the table – the flop, and the postflop begins.

Postflop: new rules of the game

The order of actions is no longer the same as it was preflop. Now, in a live casino, the player to the left of the button is the first to move, and the BU or the player to the right of the button is the last to move. The button always stays in position, receiving valuable information about the actions of the opponents before their move. Such variables make the game of turn an exciting and unpredictable one, where the ability to read situations and make the right decisions can be a decisive factor in achieving success.

When all bets are balanced, one card will be revealed – the turn. Trading will resume in the same order as on the flop. The final stage of the bidding is the river. The last, fifth, common card is dealt here. The final round of bidding begins. When the bets are compared, a showdown or reveal occurs. Opponents present their combinations and compare them. The winner is the participant with the highest combination.

Read also: Table and style in poker.

Turn: prospects and opportunities

One of the fundamental skills of a poker player is counting outs. This skill will come in handy whenever you have a backdoor, i.e. a flush or straight, but one card is missing to complete the hand. If you are missing two cards to complete a hand, it is called a backdoor, backdoor straight, or backdoor flush.

Understanding the number of outs that can strengthen your hand allows you to make the best decisions and avoid unwise calls and unsupported bluffs. It’s important to know that the turn in poker is dangerous because players often overestimate the strength of backdoor hands on this street. You are facing only the river, and therefore, the probability of improving your hand is lower than on the flop.

Flush draw on the flop

A person has nine outs for a flush draw and three outs for a top pair. In total, 12 outs * 4 – 1 = 47% chance of getting a flush or top pair before the river. This is a significant value of equity. However, the situation changes if the flush draw appears only on the turn. The person still has nine outs for a flush draw and three outs for a top pair, but this time only one card is left. 12 * 2 + 1 = 25%. It’s still a good equity figure, but not as significant as on the flop.

How to play on the turn?

To make the best decisions, you should ask yourself the following questions:

• Does the turn match my range or my opponent’s range?
• Do I plan to bluff or make a big bet?
• On which river will I have the opportunity to continue bluffing or calling?
• Do I have a chance to call? If so, isn’t my hand already dead?

Here it is important to figure out the logic of the hand and try to narrow down the range of your opponent. Correct answers will help you win more and make more competent miscalculations. However, they are often hidden deeply and require experience and understanding of the basic principles of strategy. Finally, we would like to remind you that if you were looking for a casino with a deposit from 10 USD, please follow this link.

FAQ: The turn in poker