Combos
Combos
In practice, combos are used to quantify the probability that an opponent holds a certain hand, helping players evaluate range weights when making decisions. For example, on the flop, an opponent raises and you suspect they might hold AA or KK: AA has 6 combos since 2 out of 4 aces are chosen, KK also has 6, but if you hold one ace, the AA combos drop to 3, allowing a more precise assessment of the opponent's range. Typical scenario: when calculating flush draw combos, there are 9 unseen suited cards, so the number of combos is C9,2=36, used to evaluate the probability of completing the draw.
Overview
Combos are a fundamental concept in Texas Hold'em used to quantify the possibilities of hands. They are based on combinatorics, calculating how many different specific hand combinations exist for a given hand type (e.g., pocket pairs, suited connectors) from the remaining deck. Understanding combos helps players more accurately assess an opponent's range, leading to better decisions.
Calculation Method
- Pocket Pairs: Choose 2 cards from 4 of the same rank, the number of combos is C(4,2) = 6. For example, AA has 6 combos.
- Unsuited Non-Pairs: For example, AK, there are 4 suits × 4 suits = 16 combos, of which 4 are suited and 12 are unsuited.
- Suited Hands: For example, AKs, there are 4 combos (one for each suit).
- Specific Hand Types: For example, top pair top kicker (e.g., flop A72, hand AK) requires calculation based on the community cards.
Application Scenarios
- Range Construction: Players estimate the probability of an opponent holding a certain hand type using combos. For example, preflop if an opponent 3-bets, their range might include AA (6 combos), KK (6 combos), AK (16 combos), etc. The total combos help determine relative frequencies.
- Blocking Effects: Holding a specific card reduces the number of combos for the opponent. For example, if you hold A♠, the opponent's AA combos drop from 6 to 3, and AK combos from 16 to 12.
- Betting Decisions: Based on the ratio of value combos to bluff combos in an opponent's range, decide whether to call or raise.
Example
Assume the flop is K♠9♥2♦, and you hold A♠K♣. The opponent called preflop, and you believe their range includes KQ (12 combos), KJ (12 combos), KT (12 combos), 99 (3 combos, since the flop has 9♥), 22 (3 combos), etc. After calculating combos, you find that combos ahead of you (e.g., 99, 22) total 6, while combos behind you (e.g., KQ, KJ, etc.) total 36. Thus, your top pair top kicker is likely ahead, and you can consider a value bet.
Notes
Combo calculations need to incorporate specific hand details such as opponent actions, position, stack depth, etc. Additionally, combos are just a probability tool and cannot replace reading opponents' tendencies.