Do you add bets placed to the pot when considering pot odds?

[TwoShedsJackson]

Hi,

As a near-total newbie to hold'em I am still getting my head around pot odds etc. What I would like to ask is, in a situation where are there are three people left, I'm last to act, pot is $10 and the first two guys have put in $2 each - should I be thinking $2 into a $10 pot, or $2 into $14 pot in total, when deciding whether to call etc?

[sumdumguy]

Yes, the uncollected bets are part of the pot ($14).

[gojacketz]

Don't think about definitions, think logically. How big is the pot now? $14. How much do you have to call? $2. If you are closing the action, it is as simple as it gets. The size of the pot before the action is irrelevant, you have to look at the size of it now.

Since you close action, you are getting immediate pot odds of 7-1. Assuming there is one card to come, if you will win this hand at least 1 time in 8, you should call.

One more thing to think about in this situation is implied odds. Let's assume you are drawing to the nuts with one card to come and have 8 outs. You will make this draw 1/5.75 times, so you are getting 4.75 - 1 odds, but let's assume that the pot is only laying you 4 - 1. You do not have immediate pot odds to call, BUT, if you know that your opponents will call your bet on the river when you make your draws, it is very feasible to make the call due to your implied odds.

Pick up a copy of Theory of Poker by Sklansky, invaluable tool for grasping the meaning/theory behind odds, semi bluffing, etc.

Gojacketz