Hand vs hand, before the flop
Preflop Matchups: the 5 Buckets
Nobody can work out exact all-in odds in their head. You don't need to: almost every matchup falls into one of five buckets, and each bucket has a number worth remembering.
The five buckets
Green is the favourite, red the underdog. Tap Next example to deal another matchup from the same bucket; the bar shows its exact odds.
Which bucket am I in? Three questions
Deal a matchup and watch the questions answer themselves.
1. Does anyone have a pocket pair?
Both → CrushOne → go to 2Neither → go to 3
2. One pair. Where are the other player's two cards?
Both higher → Coin flipOne higher, one lower → 3-outerBoth lower → pair crushes, ~83%
3. No pairs. Do they share a card?
Yes → DominatedNo, one hand is higher on both cards → Two live cardsNo, cards are mixed (AJ vs KQ) → about 60/40
Good to know
Now practise it
The trainer deals random matchups. Name the bucket, then see who is favoured and the exact odds.