How to Play Combo Draw in Poker

If you’ve ever flopped a hand that feels loaded with potential—multiple ways to improve, pressure on your opponent, and real chances to win big—you’ve probably hit a combo draw. Understanding combo draw poker isn’t just for pros. It’s one of the most important skills a new poker player can learn to level up quickly, especially in Hold’em.

Let’s walk through it like friends at the table. No jargon overload. Just clear explanations, smart poker strategy, and practical advice you can use right away.

What Is a Combo Draw in Poker?

So, what is a combo draw in poker?

A combo draw is a poker hand that has more than one strong draw at the same time. Most commonly, that means you’re drawing to both a straight and a flush.

Think of it this way: instead of waiting on one miracle card, you have many cards to complete a winning hand.

Classic Example

You’re holding cards of the same suit—say A Q. The flop comes 10 J 2.

Now you have a flush draw (any heart) and an open ended royal flush and straight flush draw (a K or 9).

That’s a combo draw—one of the best poker draws you can have.

Why Combo Draws Are So Powerful

Combo draws give you flexibility. You can:

• Hit the nuts (or close to it)

• Apply pressure with fold equity

• Win even when you miss by forcing folds

Because you have so many outs, your hand often has surprising equity—even against made hands like top pair or two pair.

In plain terms: combo draws let you fight back instead of just hoping.

Understanding Your Outs and Cards to Complete

An “out” is any specific card that improves your hand. With a combo draw, you’re usually working with:

• 9 outs for a flush draw

• 8 outs for an open-ended straight draw

Some cards overlap, so the total is usually around 12–15 outs. That’s huge. Compare that to a gutshot straight, which only has 4 outs, and you can see the difference it makes.

How to Play Combo Draws Correctly

Knowing how to play combo draws is where the money is made.

1. Aggression Is Often Correct

Combo draws are perfect candidates for:

• Betting

• Raising

• The occasional check raise

Why?

Because you can win in two ways; either by forcing your opponent to fold or improving to a monster hand!

2. Use Pot Odds and Price to Call

When facing a bet, always ask yourself two questions. One: What’s the price to call? Two: Do the pot odds justify continuing?

With combo draws, the answer is often yes. You’re getting great value because so many cards to complete your hand are still in the deck.

Position Matters More Than You Think

In position, combo draws become even stronger. Not onlny do you have more control over the pot size, as well as more information, you also get bluffing opportunities.

Out of position? Well, best be selective. Sometimes betting is still a good idea, but know that it can get tricky fast.

Common Mistakes Poker Players Make

Even strong poker players mess this up. Avoid these traps:

• Playing combo draws too passively

• Overvaluing weak drawing hands

• Ignoring board texture (watch for paired boards that can make a full house)

Also remember: not every draw is equal. A straight draw poker hand on a monotone board isn’t the same as a clean straight and flush draw.

Combo Draws vs Other Drawing Hands

Let’s keep it simple:

• Flush draw only → Decent

• Open ended straight draw → Solid

• Gutshot straight → Marginal

• Combo draw → Premium aggression hand

When you can complete a straight or hit a flush, you should usually be thinking offense.

Is a combo draw always worth playing?

In short, no--but it's usually worth fighting for. Whether you should continue depends on how the hand fits into the situation. For example, when you are playing deep stacks vs when you are playing short stacks.

Deep stacks make combo draws far more valuable. When you and your opponent both have plenty of chips behind, hitting your straight or flush can win a huge pot. That implied value often justifies aggressive play, even if the immediate pot odds aren’t perfect.

Short stacks are different. If effective stacks are shallow, you lose implied odds. You may still have plenty of outs, but there’s less money left to win when you hit. In those spots, jamming or folding becomes more common, and passive calling loses value fast.

Of course, there's more to it when it comes to making a decision. Position, as we talked about earlier, as well as your opponent's tendencies. 

Against opponents who fold too much, combo draws are gold. You can win the pot immediately or improve later. Against players who never fold, your combo draw becomes more of a pure equity hand. That doesn’t make it bad—but it does mean you should lean more on correct pricing and less on bluffing.

Final Thoughts

Mastering combo draw poker is about recognizing opportunity and having the confidence to act on it. Once you start seeing combo draws clearly, the game slows down. Decisions feel easier. And suddenly, you’re not just waiting on luck—you’re creating it.

Good luck!