FREE QUIZ · PRACTICE CHIPS ONLY
Count your outs like you mean it
Nine hands, two questions each: how many cards help you, and is the call worth it on the direct odds? Every answer shows the exact cards and the maths.
An out is a card that is still in the deck and would improve your hand to the one you are drawing to. Count the cards, then turn them into a chance: on the flop with two cards to come, the exact chance is 1 − C(47−outs, 2) ÷ C(47, 2); on the turn it is outs ÷ 46. The "multiply by 4 or 2" shortcut gets close for small draws and drifts for big ones.
Outs quiz
Nine hypothetical hands, shuffled each round. Chips are practice chips only. Nothing you answer leaves this page.
Each hand has two steps. First, count the outs for the stated goal. Second, decide whether calling is right using only the direct odds: your exact chance of getting there against the equity the bet requires.
Your hand
Board
Goal: . Pot chips. Your opponent bets chips.
Step 2. On direct odds, do you call or fold?
Round complete
Simplifications: direct odds only. The calls assume you win only if you hit your goal, no more betting follows, and every out is clean. Real hands also have implied odds, opponent ranges and outs that win you nothing.
01
How to count outs in three steps
1. Name the hand you are drawing to
"A flush" or "a straight" is a goal. "Something better" is not. A clear goal stops you counting cards that do not help.
2. Count the unseen cards that complete it
Take only cards you cannot see: not in your hand, not on the board. Four of a rank and thirteen of a suit is where the numbers come from.
3. Remove double counts
A card that completes both your flush and your straight is still one card. The quiz hand with J♥ T♥ on 9♥ 8♣ 2♥ shows it: 9 hearts plus 8 straight cards looks like 17, but two of those straight cards are hearts, so the true count is 15.
Outs that may not be clean
An out is clean only if it also gives you the best hand. A flush card that pairs the board can hand a full house to an opponent. A low end of a straight can lose to a higher straight. Experienced players trim their count for these cases. The quiz counts every card that reaches the goal and labels that assumption.
Hypothetical: with 9 flush outs, you might discount one or two cards on a paired board. That is judgement, not a formula.
02
Common draws and their exact odds
These figures measure hitting at least one of the listed immediate outs. They do not include other runner-runner paths to a completed hand. The quiz separately enumerates all runouts for the exact goal chance. "Flop to river" means two cards to come with no more betting assumed.
| Draw | Outs | Flop to river (exact) | Shortcut ×4 | Turn to river (exact) | Shortcut ×2 |
|---|
03
How far off is the shortcut?
Each bar pair compares the exact flop-to-river chance of hitting at least one listed out with the ×4 shortcut for that same set of outs. Small draws match well. Big draws overshoot because a runout with an out on both streets must count only once when measuring the chance of hitting at least one out.
04
Four common mistakes
Counting a card twice
Cards that complete two draws count once.
Counting cards you can see
Your own suited cards and the board are gone from the deck.
Using flop odds on the turn
Once the turn is dealt there is only one card to come. Switch from "×4" to "×2".
Ignoring the price
A 35% draw is a fine call at 25% required and a poor one at 40%. Compare your chance with what the bet needs. The pot odds calculator does that for any bet.
05
FAQ
What is an out in poker?
A card still in the deck that would improve your hand to the one you are drawing to.
How do I turn outs into a percentage?
On the flop, multiply outs by 4 for a rough chance of hitting by the river. On the turn, multiply by 2. The exact figures are in the table above.
Why does the rule of 4 overshoot with many outs?
Two outs can appear, one on the turn and another on the river. When calculating the chance of hitting at least once, those runouts must be counted once, not twice. The ×4 shortcut increasingly overshoots as the number of outs grows. It also omits runner-runner paths that need two different cards to complete a goal.
Does this quiz tell me what to do at a real table?
No. It teaches counting and direct-odds arithmetic only. Real decisions also depend on opponents, position, implied odds and whether your outs are clean.
Is it free, and does it store anything?
It is free and runs in your browser. It does not ask for an account, use chips with real value, or send your answers anywhere.
Related: Pot odds calculator · Free poker trainer · Rakeback calculator