Open End Review

What Is Open End ?

A Poker term that players need to be familiar with is ‘open end’. It is a hand with four cards that can easily become a straight. Two different value card is all players need for this. The term comes from the fact that ‘end cards’ are needed for it to qualify as ‘open’. Those familiar with Poker terms know that a Straight Flush or Standard Straight is still a Straight hand.

To get a Straight Flush, players must have a hand that includes a sequence of all the suites. If one hand is made up of just Clubs and contains an Ace, King, Queen, 10 and Jack, it is a Straight Flush. In a Standard Flush there is an Ace, King, Queen, 10 and Jack, yet they are of different suites. A Standard Straight is worth less than a Straight Flush.

Open End Explained

An Open End is defined by a sequence of four cards. If a player has a hand that includes two, four, five and six, then the addition of a seven of Hearts or a two of Hearts would make the hand a complete Straight Flush. This is all it takes to qualify as an Open End hand. It only applies to hands that involve a Straight Flush. Hands such as Full House and four-of-a-kind do not count as Open End.

Adding a card to a hand to make an Open End can be done on either side of the line of cards. This makes them an Open End rather than an Inside Draw. The distinction between the two is important for Poker players to understand. In the case of an Inside Draw, one specific value of card is needed to complete the hand.

Inside Draws are important in a game of Poker, but so are Two-Way Draws. In this kind of draw the cards that needs to be added to the hand can be two cards of different ranking. Certain hands are optimal for players to have. A Straight Flush is one example of a hand that can help players win a game. Open End hands play a significant part in Poker.