An Inside Straight (AI)

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An inside straight, also commonly known as an open ended straight draw, refers to a hand in poker where you have four cards in sequential order, but with a gap at either the beginning or the end. This means you can potentially complete a straight with just one more card.

Here's a breakdown:

• Four cards in sequence: This is the core requirement. For example, holding 6, 7, 8, and 9 is an inside straight.
• Gap at either end: You need either a card one rank lower (5 in the example above) or one rank higher (10 in the example) to complete the straight.
• Drawing potential: Because you can complete the straight in two ways, it's called an "open ended" draw, making it statistically more likely to hit than other straight draws.

Here are some additional points about inside straights:

• Odds of hitting: The odds of hitting an inside straight depend on how many cards are left unseen ("outs"). With four cards left unseen, you have an 8.5% chance of completing the straight.
• Value: While not the strongest hand, an inside straight can be a powerful draw, especially in early positions where you have more opportunities to improve your hand.
• Example: If you are holding 6, 7, 8, and 9, and the flop comes 3, 4, and 10, you now have a completed straight.

Overall, an inside straight is a promising hand in poker due to its drawing potential and the possibility of forming a strong straight.

Examples:

6, 7, 8, 9: This is a classic example of an inside straight. You need either a 5 or a 10 to complete the straight.

J, Q, K, 2: Here, you have an inside straight needing either an A or a 3 to form a straight.

4, 5, 7, 8: This hand requires either a 3 or a 6 to complete the straight.

T, J, Q, A: This is an inside straight with an ace on the high end, needing either a K or a 9 to complete the straight.