If you want to have as much success in poker as possible, you must understand the concept of backdoor poker. We’re going to cover this concept in detail below.
BACKDOOR POKER — AN INTERESTING WAY TO DRAW CARDS
To delve into the backdoor, or runner-runner concept, you must first understand what the turn and river are in the context of poker. These refer to the fourth and fifth rounds in a game of poker.
The turn, sometimes called ‘the fourth street‘ reveals the fourth community card, and all players in the game have six cards in total.
The river, or the final round, reveals the fifth community card where all players in the game would have seven cards in total.
It’s the strategies carried out in these two rounds that constitute this concept.
WHERE DID THE TERM ‘BACKDOOR’ IN POKER COME FROM?
The term ‘backdoor‘ refers, by definition, to the idea that the back-playing player sneaks in at the last second to steal the hand. This is opposed to other players in the game who were more apparent to others in the hands they played.
HOW STRONG IS THE BACKDOOR HAND?
This hand is not a strong hand as it only ever lands between 2% and 4% of the time. That said, it might be a strategy you can utilise if you’re bluffing or betting aggressively.
TYPES OF BACKDOOR HANDS
There are two hands you can pursue, including the backdoor flush draw and the backdoor straight draw.
BACKDOOR FLUSH DRAW
To form a backdoor flush draw, you need two consecutive cards to be drawn in the same suit, regardless of rank, like for example, two more clubs. They simply must possess the same suit as the three cards in your hand. The odds of the pair possessing the same suit as your existing cards are quite low (around 4%), so this is generally an unintentional hand.
However, if the turn card works in your favour, it might be worth betting on the river card working in your favour as well. A backdoor flush draw can make weak cards a hand worth calling.
BACKDOOR STRAIGHT DRAW
If you want to complete a straight with backdoor draws, you’ll need both the turn and river to reveal cards that fit sequentially into your already-existing cards. The suit of these cards doesn’t matter, however. For example, if you have a five of clubs, seven of spades and nine hearts, you’ll need both the turn and river to reveal a six and an eight to win, though not specifically in that order.
Note that, as with a backdoor flush, the odds of completing this winning hand are quite low (around 2%).
WHAT STRATEGY TO USE FOR BACKDOOR POKER?
Here are some strategies to help you get started:
- If you’re betting in tournaments, you should be aggressive with this strategy as you could very well steal the pot.
- Remember, while backdoor straights are harder for other players to detect, it doesn’t mean that they’re undetectable.
- You can get away with a backdoor flush.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BACKDOOR AND FRONT DRAW
These two terms simply refer to the rounds in which cards are being drawn. A front door draw denotes the first three rounds, whereas backdoor draws denote the final two rounds.
BACKDOOR DRAW IN TEXAS HOLD’EM
In Texas hold ‘em games, the term ‘backdoor’ refers to the situation where a player flops an incomplete hand, but can improve it by hitting specific cards on the turn and river.
For example, if a player has two hearts in their hole cards and the flop comes with two non-heart cards, they would need both the turn and river cards to be hearts to form a flush.
HOW TO PLAY BACKDOOR POKER? TIPS FROM LV BET
This technique is an advanced and sometimes aggressive strategy, so here are some helpful tips:
- Know That Backdoor Nuts Are Hard to Beat
The term “nuts” refers to the best possible hand on the table in the game. So, in other words, if you’re able to convert a straight or draw nuts, it’s highly unlikely that your opponent will be able to match you.
- Consider Floating
Floating is a poker technique where players call on a weak hand to fool other players. This spurs uncertainty in the minds of the other players, and puts other players in a defensive position, allowing the floating player to bluff and bet aggressively.
You can float on the flop with backdoor plus overcard hands in blind on blind battles. Should you luck out and land a straight or a flush on the turn and river draws, you’ll be able to bet and win the jackpot.
Understand That Backdoor Straights Are Harder for Other Players to Detect
Backdoor flushes are much easier for other players to detect than backdoor straights. This is because, to achieve a backdoor flush, three like-suited cards must be on the table already. In the case of a straight, however, other players have no pattern to look for.
What this means is that, with a backdoor straight, you stand a much better chance of successfully bluffing.
CONCLUSION
Now that you know a thing or two about capitalising on the turn and the river, you might be looking to play poker online. LV BET has you covered!
Our site offers a wide variety of poker games. Create an account and check out our large selection of poker games for a chance to win! Remember to always play responsibly.
FAQ
✅ Is a runner-runner draw the same as a backdoor draw?
Yes, a backdoor and runner-runner draw are the same.
✅ How to manage your budget in backdoor poker?
Unless circumstances are dire, you shouldn’t bet much on a backdoor poker play. We advise staying under 25% of your existing wallet and, in most cases, staying even lower than that.
✅ What is the probability of hitting backdoor poker?
The probability of hitting backdoor poker is low. For a backdoor straight, it’s around 2%. For a backdoor flush, it’s around 4%.
✅ What is backdoor gutshot?
In poker, a gutshot is a straight draw where a middle card is still required to complete the draw. In the case of a backdoor gutshot, you would have to secure one of the middle cards during the turn or the river draws.
✅ Is it worth playing double blackdoor draws?
Double-backdoor draws involve hitting favourably on both the turn and river draws. They’re incredibly difficult to pull off and so, in the vast majority of cases, shouldn’t be relied on.