What is a Run in Poker?

Introduction

We all have heard players screaming, “We’re on a run,” “bad run,” “good run,” or even “sun run.” But what is a run in poker? Poker is full of unique jargon and nuanced terminology that can confuse newcomers. One such term that frequently comes up is “run.” But what does it mean to go on a “run” in poker, and how does it affect gameplay?

In this blog, we will explore the different meanings of “run” in poker and how they influence strategy and table dynamics.

What Does Run Mean in Poker?

In everyday poker talk, “run” commonly refers to a streak of hands during which a player wins consistently over time.

• Good run (Hot Streak): This means you are consistently getting strong hands or winning pots.
• Bad run (Cold Streak): You are losing hand after hand, regardless of skilful play.

Run It Once vs. Run It Twice

Another use of “run” in poker occurs during all-in situations, particularly in cash or friendly games. Here, you can agree on how the remainingcommunity cards are dealt.

• Run It Once: Deal the rest of the board normally, just one time.
• Run It Twice: Deal two separate boards for the turn and river, and split the pot between the two runouts if each player wins one.

This practice is often used to reduce variance in big pots.

Run as in Running Cards

In hand descriptions, you might hear phrases like:

• He caught a runner-runner flush.
• The board ran out perfectly for her straight

This refers to the cards on the turn and river, helping you improve your hand. When you need the turn and river to complete a hand, it’s often called a runner-runner or a backdoor.

How does Runner-Runner draw work?

• The Flop: After the first three community cards are dealt, you might have a weak hand or no immediate draw.
• The Turn: The fourth community card creates a backdoor draw, a potential flush or straight.
• The River: The fifth and final community card completes the hand and turns a long-shot situation into a winning hand.

You need two cards of the same suit on the turn and river to complete a flush. You have ♠A ♠8 and the flop shows ♥K ♦J ♠6. You need ♠Q on the turn and ♠5 on the river to complete your hand and make a flush.

Odds and Strategy

A runner-runner draw has a relatively low probability of hitting. A runner-runner flush has a probability of about 4.2% (1 in 23), a runner-runner straight has a probability of 4.2%(1 in 24), and the odds of hitting runner-runner trips or quads are even lower, around 0.4% (1 in 250).

Chasing runner-runner draws is not recommended unless the pot odds are very favourable. However, if you do hit a runner-runner hand, you can extract more value from your opponents.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does running it twice affect the outcome of the game?

No, running it twice does not affect the outcome of the game. It only affects the variance.

What is a run in poker?

A run is a combination of playing cards where the cards have consecutive rank values.

How does a Poker run work?

A poker run is an organised event. You use your vehicle and must visit five to seven checkpoints, drawing a playing card at each checkpoint. The goal is to have the best poker hand at the end of the run.

Is a run good in poker?

Yes. Running good means you are consecutively winning the game.

Conclusion

The term “Run” in poker is context-dependent. Whether you are talking about a good streak, deciding how many times to deal the board, or describing how a card fell, understanding the term helps you better understand the game. So, next time when you are at a table and someone screams ‘eun it twice’, you know exactly what’s going on.