Really dumb question about flushes vs straights

**Barnfather** · 25th April 2009, 05:17 PM

Ok, I understand why a flush beats a straight. From a probability point of view a straight is a more common 5-card hand than a flush, and there are more cards that can make one as they don't have to be suited yada yada yada

Burrrrrt, surely flushes will be more common in *real* play, as a player already knows 2 of the 5 cards are suited before they decide to play. As many people will not play unsuited connectors that often, flushes must be far more common in real play? It certainly seems that way to me, anyway

**Dice Man** · 25th April 2009, 05:27 PM

You could say the same with straights since people play connectors more than they play non-connectors.

**rfph1** · 25th April 2009, 05:42 PM

but I guess people will play suited in preference to connected because a flush beats a str8, if it were the other way around people would play connecters more then suited.

So in a way, you will (perhaps) see more flushes in real play because the flush is the stronger hand....make sence ?

**Barnfather** · 25th April 2009, 05:43 PM

I'm not sure.....I don't know the maths and can't be bothered to work it out, but what are the percentage chances of someone holding any two connected cards (say 67o) making a straight compared to someone holding any two suited cards?

I know that there is more chance of a straight than a flush, but is that the same when you know your hole cards?

**Barnfather** · 25th April 2009, 06:04 PM

I'm probably not explaining myself very well, but I am not disputing that straights are more likely than flushes, what I am questioning is what the odds are when you know your hole cards. I have seen some sites such as Planet STACKED - STACKED and Poker Strategies, News, Screenshots, Previews, Reviews, Guides show the various permutations but critically, their numbers for making a flush by the river are based on you knowing you have two suited cards, but the numbers for making a straight are based on knowing not only that you have two connected cards, but also that you have flopped a straight draw...

I know I'm probably wrong on all this, but it would be good to know the maths...

**aaron1005** · 25th April 2009, 09:53 PM

Well it's simple to work out really.
Out fo all the time you have been playing poker, which of the two have you had most?

I'm pretty sure I have more straights than flushes.

**rfph1** · 25th April 2009, 10:26 PM

Originally Posted by aaron1005

Well it's simple to work out really.
Out fo all the time you have been playing poker, which of the two have you had most?

I'm pretty sure I have more straights than flushes.

for me, I think the other way around as I am far more likely to draw for a flush than a str8 (virtually never draw on a gutshot, rarely for the idiot end, etc).

**Raiser** · 25th April 2009, 10:42 PM

Comeoutpoker used to run games where straights dont count... very funny to play.

**Raiser** · 26th April 2009, 09:20 AM

Originally Posted by lucky_scrote

Really? How did this work? Did you find that only high cards were effective, I guess hands like 78 were useless.

Suited gappers & Ace rag ftw!

But seriously, the site had such a specific customer base that majority were only playing for fun and basically using it as a place to pick people up! lol.

It was probably the easiest softest place to make money playing poker. As for the no striaghts allowed i dont think many people actually adjusted their game as they werent that switched on.

Funny thing is i only realised these rules were in play when i pushed with flopped a wheel, got called and lost to a pair of twos.

The site has shut down now.

**waltypies** · 26th April 2009, 11:12 AM

Originally Posted by Raiser

Suited gappers & Ace rag ftw!

But seriously, the site had such a specific customer base that majority were only playing for fun and basically using it as a place to pick people up! lol.

It was probably the easiest softest place to make money playing poker. As for the no striaghts allowed i dont think many people actually adjusted their game as they werent that switched on.

Funny thing is i only realised these rules were in play when i pushed with flopped a wheel, got called and lost to a pair of twos.

The site has shut down now.

So much for equal rights for gays