Best Poker Bets

Traffic Lights System for Ranking & Weighting Poker Hands for Bets

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Traffic Lights: Green, Amber and Red are used to rank and weight 2-card hands based on probabilities of winning games. The system gives each card a score. Extra points are given for: Pairs, Suited and Connected cards. This is justified because it increases the Ways-of-Winning and the number of outs. A pair-in-the-hand often wins the game. Having Suited Cards increases the chances of a Flush. Connected Cards increase the chances of a straight. Having two Court Cards increases the chances of getting a high pair. The scoring system is based on the probabilities of winning with a hand of two cards.
See Resources for analysis of how the hand scores relate to the probabilities.

These Traffic Lights Rules is related to the Thrice is Nice Rule-of-Thumb.

Card Scores

• A => 6
• K => 5
• Q => 4
• J,T(10) => 4
• 9,8,7 => 3
• 6,5,4,3,2 => 2

Extra Scores

• Pair => extra 4
• Suited => extra 2
• Connected => extra 1
• Suited & Connected => extra 3

Traffic Lights Ranking

Simplified Traffic Lights Ranking Rules

Traffic Lights Ranking - Full Details & Hand Listings

Lime Green - Best Bets Rules

• Pairs AA, KK, QQ, JJ, TT
• AK, KQ, AQ, AJ, A10 suited and unsuited
• KJ, K10 suited
• A9, A8, A7 Suited
• A6, A5, A4, A3, A2 Suited [Less than Four Players]

Lime Green Hand Rank Scores

• AA => 16
• AKsc => 14
• KK => 14
• AQs => 13
• Akoc => 12
• KQsc => 12
• QQ => 12
• AQo => 11
• AJs => 11
• ATs => 11
• KJs => 11
• KTs => 11
• A9,8,7s => 10
• KQoc => 10
• QJsc => 10
• JJ => 10
• TT => 10
• AJo => 9
• ATo => 9
• A6,5,4,3,2s => 9

Green - Good Bets Rules

• QT, JT suited
• KJ, KT unsuited
• A9, A8, A7 suited and unsuited
• A6, A5, A4, A3, A2 suited
• K9, K8, K7, K6, K5, K4, K3, K2 suited

Green Hand Rank Scores

• A6,5,4,3,2s => 9
• K9,8,7s => 9
• QTs => 9
• JTsc => 9
• A9,8,7o => 8
• KJo => 8
• KTo => 8
• K6,5,4,3,2s => 8
• QJoc => 8

Orange - Cautious Bet Rules

• Pairs: 99, 88, 77, 66, 55, 44, 33, 22
• Any hands with BOTH cards 7 or higher
• A6, A5, A4, A3, A2 unsuited
• Q6, Q5, Q4, Q3, Q2 suited

Orange Hand Rank Scores

• Q9,8,7s => 8
• Q6,5,4,3,2s => 8
• T9sc => 8
• 99 => 8
• 88 => 8
• 77 => 8
• A6,5,4,3,2o => 7
• K9,8,7o => 7
• Qto => 7
• Jtoc => 7
• Jtoc => 7
• J9,8,7s => 7
• T8,7s => 7
• 98sc => 7
• 87sc => 7
• 98sc => 7
• Q9,8,7o => 6
• J9,8,7o => 5
• T8,7o => 5
• T9uc => 6
• 97s => 6
• 98oc => 5
• 87oc => 5
• 97o => 4

Red - Rare Bet Rules

No bets when one card is < 7

EXCEPT

Cards BOTH suited & connected

Q6, Q5, Q4, Q3, Q2 suited

J6, J5, J4, J3, J2 suited

T6, T5, T4, T3, T2 suited

Red Hand Rank Scores

• K6,5,4,3,2u => 6
• J6,5,4,3,2s => 6
• T6,5,4,3,2s => 6
• 76sc => 6
• 75,4,3,2o => 6
• 66 => 6
• 55 => 6
• 44 => 6
• 33 => 6
• 22 => 6
• Q6,5,4,3,2o => 5
• 96,5,4,3,2s => 5
• 86,5,4,3,2s => 5
• 76oc => 5
• J6,5,4,3,2o => 4
• T6,5,4,3,2o => 4
• 65sc => 4
• 64,3,2s => 4
• 54sc => 4
• 53,2s => 4
• 43sc => 4
• 42s => 4
• 32sc => 4
• 96,5,4,3,2o => 3
• 86,5,4,3,2o => 3
• 75,4,3,2s => 3
• 65oc => 3
• 54oc => 3
• 43oc => 3
• 32oc => 3
• 64,3,2u => 2
• 53,2u => 2
• 42u => 2