In a board game, we are now halfway through the betting. The initial betting round and the flop are much more wide-ranging in their possibilities. With two more cards to come, several things can still happen. In Stud poker, there are still three betting rounds, but things are beginning to take shape, based on the dead cards from folded and other live hands. While several things can still happen, once you see the fourth of five cards, you should, over time, be able to realize where you are in the hand versus the other players. Through continuing the sample hands we gave you in the last chapter, we’ll discuss how your fortunes have changed for better or worse. By the end of this chapter, you will know how to
✦ Evaluate how well you hit the turn.
✦ Evaluate how much “work” you need to do to make certain hands.
✦ Evaluate your hand relative to Sklansky, Malmuth, and Miller’s pot-based odds.
The Fourth (or Fifth) Poker Card Comes Out
In the board games, a fourth community card will be placed on the table, while in Stud games a third upcard will be added to each remaining player’s hand.
The action in a board game will begin with the first active player to the left of the button. In Stud, as you remember, the highest hand showing begins the betting. Let’s learn what’s the new situation in Hold ’Em Turns.
