Poker Outs Chart: Count Your Outs and Calculate Your Odds
Last updated: April 28, 2026
Counting outs is the first step to making mathematically sound decisions when you're on a draw. This guide covers every common draw type, the Rule of 4 & 2, and the pitfalls that cause players to miscalculate their true equity.
Definitions
What is an Out?
An out is any unseen card that, if it appears on the next street, would give you the best hand (or strongly improve your chances of winning). The key word is unseen — you can only count cards you haven't already seen in your hand or on the board.
Example
You hold 9♥ 8♥. The board is 7♥ 2♣ K♥. You have four hearts already accounted for (9♥, 8♥, 7♥, K♥). A standard deck has 13 hearts, so 13 − 4 = 9 hearts remain in the unseen deck. Any heart gives you a flush — you have 9 outs.
Complete Outs Reference Table
Probabilities use exact combinatorics, not the Rule of 4 & 2 approximation. The "Flop to River" column assumes no betting action stops the hand.
The Rule of 4 & 2
The Rule of 4 & 2 is a mental math shortcut that converts your outs into a rough equity percentage in seconds — fast enough to use during live play.
On the flop (2 cards to come)
Outs × 4 ≈ Equity %
9 outs → 9 × 4 = 36% (actual: 35%)
On the turn (1 card to come)
Outs × 2 ≈ Equity %
9 outs → 9 × 2 = 18% (actual: 19.6%)
Accuracy warning: The Rule of 4 becomes less accurate as out count rises. With 15 outs, it gives 60% — the actual probability is 54.1%. Use it as a quick sanity check, not a precise calculation. For exact equity, use RiverOdds.
How to Count Outs Step by Step
Identify what hand you need to make
Determine the hand you need to beat your opponent's likely range. This defines which cards are your outs. For example, if your opponent likely has top pair, you need two pair, a set, a straight, or a flush to win.
Count every card that makes that hand
Go through each rank and suit systematically. How many cards of that type exist in a full 52-card deck? A flush draw has 13 of one suit; a straight draw has multiple ranks.
Subtract cards you can already see
Remove the cards in your hand and on the board from your count. These are known cards — they cannot appear again. This gives you the clean out count from the remaining unknown deck.
Apply Rule of 4 or 2
Multiply your out count by 4 on the flop (two cards to come) or by 2 on the turn (one card to come) to get an approximate equity percentage.
Walkthrough: Open-ended straight draw on the flop
You hold J♠ T♦. Board: 9♥ 8♣ 2♠. Pot: $80. Opponent bets $40.
- Step 1: You need a straight — specifically a 7 or a Q.
- Step 2: There are 4 sevens and 4 queens in a deck = 8 cards.
- Step 3: None are visible in your hand or on board, so all 8 remain.
- Step 4: 8 outs × 4 = 32% equity (actual: 31.5%).
- Pot odds: $40 call into $160 total = 25%. Your 32% > 25% → call.
Outs You Might Be Miscounting
Not all outs are equal. Experienced players adjust their out count based on three important factors:
Reverse outs (dirty outs)
An out that improves your hand but improves your opponent's more is a dirty out that should be discounted or removed entirely. Classic example: drawing to a flush on a paired board where your opponent could make a full house when you hit.
Blocker effects
If you hold one of the cards your opponent needs to improve, that card is not in the deck — you are blocking their outs. Conversely, cards in your hand can also block your own outs. For example, holding the J♥ while drawing to a flush reduces your flush outs from 9 to 8.
Non-winning outs
Some cards improve your hand but don't make you the winner. If you make the second-best flush or the lower end of a straight, your "out" cost you money rather than saving it. When counting outs, always ask: if this card hits, do I actually win?
Frequently Asked Questions
How many outs is a flush draw?
A flush draw has 9 outs. There are 13 cards of each suit in a deck. If you hold two hearts and the board has two hearts, that accounts for 4 hearts, leaving 9 hearts unaccounted for in the remaining deck — any of which completes your flush.
How many outs is an open-ended straight draw?
An open-ended straight draw has 8 outs. If you hold 9-8 on a J-T board, any 7 (4 cards) or any Q (4 cards) completes your straight — 8 outs total. A gutshot (inside straight draw) has only 4 outs because only one rank completes the straight.
Can I have more than 15 outs?
Technically yes, but it's rare in practice. A flush draw combined with an open-ended straight draw already gives you 15 outs (with some overlap to watch for). The theoretical maximum approaches 21 outs in exotic scenarios, but in most hands you'll be counting somewhere between 4 and 15.
What is the difference between outs and equity?
Outs are a raw count of cards that improve your hand. Equity is the resulting win probability expressed as a percentage. The Rule of 4 & 2 converts outs into an equity estimate, but a true equity calculation also accounts for your opponent's range, the possibility that an 'out' improves your opponent too (a dirty out), and the full distribution of remaining cards.
Skip the mental math — let RiverOdds do it
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