What Is a Straight Flush Draw?
A straight flush draw is four cards that can become both a straight and a flush. Learn the types, how many outs each has, and the odds of hitting.
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A straight flush draw is four cards that are all the same suit and in sequence, so one more card can complete either a straight, a flush, or the straight flush itself. It’s one of the strongest drawing hands in poker precisely because it’s chasing several outcomes at once. A draw is not a made hand, though: it wins nothing until it hits, so knowing your outs and odds is what turns it from a hopeful holding into a profitable one.
The two types of straight flush draw
Like any straight draw, it comes in an open-ended version and a one-sided (gutshot) version.
- Open-ended straight flush draw: four suited cards in a row, open at both ends. Example:
6♠ 7♠ 8♠ 9♠. Either a5♠or aT♠completes the straight flush. - Gutshot straight flush draw: four suited cards with an inside gap, or a run that can only extend one way. Example:
6♠ 7♠ 9♠ T♠, needing only the8♠.
The open-ended version is stronger because it has two cards that make the straight flush instead of one.
Counting the outs
An out is any card that improves you to a winning hand. A straight flush draw is layered, so count carefully:
| Draw type | Outs to straight flush | Outs to any flush | Outs to any straight | Total distinct outs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open-ended straight flush draw | 2 | 9 | 8 | 15 |
| Gutshot straight flush draw | 1 | 9 | 4 | 12 |
Take 6♠ 7♠ 8♠ 9♠. The two straight-flush cards are 5♠ and T♠. There are 9 spades total that give you a flush (13 spades minus the 4 you hold), and 8 cards of any suit that give you a straight (four fives and four tens). But the 5♠ and T♠ are counted in both the flush and straight groups, so the distinct total is 9 + 8 − 2 = 15 outs, the biggest common two-card draw in Hold’em.
The odds of hitting
Use the “rule of 4 and 2” to estimate quickly: multiply your outs by 4 with two cards to come, or by 2 with one card to come.
- Straight flush alone (2 outs): about 8% from flop to river, or 4% on the very next card. It’s a genuine long shot.
- Any completing hand (15 outs, open-ended): about 15 × 4 = 60% by the estimate; the exact figure is roughly 54% from flop to river. That’s a coin-flip or better to make a straight, flush, or straight flush.
The gap between 8% and 54% is the whole point. You rarely make the straight flush, but the draw is powerful because it so often lands a strong made hand. For the flush side of the math, see flush odds in poker.
A quick reference for the open-ended draw’s chances of completing something:
| Cards to come | Straight flush (2 outs) | Any made hand (15 outs) |
|---|---|---|
| One card (turn or river) | about 4% | about 32% |
| Two cards (flop to river) | about 8% | about 54% |
The single-card numbers matter when you’re deciding whether to call a bet on the turn with only the river left, while the two-card numbers apply on the flop with both the turn and river still coming.
A worked hand
You hold 7♠ 8♠ and the flop comes 6♠ 9♠ 2♦. Your five cards so far are 6♠ 7♠ 8♠ 9♠ 2♦ — an open-ended straight flush draw.
- Hit the
5♠orT♠: you have a straight flush, all but unbeatable. - Hit any other spade (9 total, minus overlap): you have a flush.
- Hit any other five or ten: you have a straight.
- Miss entirely: you still have
8-high and must decide whether to keep betting.
With two cards to come you’ll complete one of those hands about 54% of the time, which is why this draw is often played aggressively. Just remember: until one of those cards falls, you hold nothing that beats even a pair.
How rare is the finished straight flush?
If you do complete it, you’ve made one of poker’s scarcest hands. There are only 36 straight flushes (excluding royals) in a 52-card deck, versus 5,108 flushes and 10,200 straights. That rarity is exactly why it sits near the top of the rankings — and why the draw feels so exciting even though it usually finishes as a plain flush or straight. See how many straight flushes there are for the full count.
Bottom line
A straight flush draw is four suited, connected cards chasing a straight, a flush, or the straight flush at once. The open-ended version carries 2 outs to the straight flush but 15 total outs, hitting a strong hand about 54% of the time by the river. It’s a draw, not a made hand, so play it for its outs and its aggression. Study the full ladder at the hand rankings hub and put it to work at the Texas Hold’em tables.
Frequently asked
What is a straight flush draw?
A straight flush draw is a four-card holding that can complete into both a straight and a flush at the same time, meaning all four cards are the same suit and in sequence, such as 7-8-9-10 of hearts.
How many outs does a straight flush draw have?
An open-ended straight flush draw has 2 outs to the straight flush itself, but it usually has 15 total outs when you count the cards that give you any flush or any straight instead.
Is a straight flush draw a made hand?
No. A draw is not a made hand and beats nothing at showdown. It only has value if it completes into a straight, a flush, or a straight flush on a later card.
What are the odds of hitting a straight flush draw?
The straight flush itself is a long shot, roughly 8% from flop to river with 2 outs. But because the same cards also make an ordinary flush or straight, an open-ended straight flush draw hits some strong hand about 54% of the time by the river.