Ultimate Texas Hold'em Calculator: Master the Pre-Flop 4x Bet

Ultimate Texas Hold'em combines Hold'em mechanics with aggressive betting opportunities. Our calculator shows optimal 4x/2x/1x decisions at each street, helping you achieve the lowest 2.19% house edge in the poker pit.

What Is Ultimate Texas Hold'em?

Ultimate Texas Hold'em (UTH) is a heads-up poker game against the dealer using Texas Hold'em rules. You can bet 4x pre-flop, 2x on the flop, or 1x on the river.

Quick Answer: The key to UTH is the pre-flop 4x bet. Bet 4x with: any ace, any pair, K-5+, K-2s through K-4s, Q-8+, Q-6s+, J-8s+, suited connectors 5-4 through 10-9. This aggressive pre-flop action yields a 2.19% house edge—the best poker table game edge available.

How to Use Our UTH Calculator

Use the Ultimate Texas Hold'em Calculator →

Enter your cards at each street for optimal betting decisions.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Enter Your Two Hole Cards: Starting hand

2. View Pre-Flop Decision: 4x, check, or (rarely) fold

3. Enter the Flop: Three community cards

4. View Flop Decision: 2x or check

5. Enter Turn and River: Final two community cards

6. View River Decision: 1x or fold

Input Fields Explained

Field	Description	Example
Hole Cards	Your two cards	A♠ J♦
Pre-Flop Bet	First decision	4x
Flop	Three cards	K♥ 7♣ 2♠
Flop Bet	Second decision	Check (already bet 4x)
Turn	Fourth card	9♦
River	Fifth card	Q♣
Final Hand	Best 5 cards	Pair of Aces

UTH Rules

Game Flow

1. Ante + Blind: Place equal ante and blind bets
2. Deal: Receive 2 hole cards
3. Pre-Flop: Bet 4x ante OR check
4. Flop: If checked pre-flop, bet 2x OR check
5. River: If checked earlier, bet 1x OR fold
6. Showdown: Best five-card hand wins

Key Rule: One Raise Only

You can only raise once per hand:

• 4x pre-flop, OR
• 2x on flop, OR
• 1x on river

If you bet 4x pre-flop, you check the flop and river automatically.

Dealer Qualification

Dealer must have pair or better to qualify:

Scenario	Result
Dealer qualifies, you win	Ante and play pay 1:1
Dealer qualifies, you lose	Lose all bets
Dealer doesn't qualify	Ante pushes, play pays 1:1

Blind Bet Payouts

The blind bet pays based on your final hand (regardless of winning):

Hand	Blind Payout
Royal Flush	500:1
Straight Flush	50:1
Four of a Kind	10:1
Full House	3:1
Flush	3:2 (1.5:1)
Straight	1:1
Less than straight	Push (win) or Lose

Blind only pays on straights or better. Pairs through two pair push if you win.

Optimal Pre-Flop Strategy (4x)

Bet 4x With These Hands

Any Ace: All A-x hands (A-2 through A-K)

Any Pair: All pairs 2-2 through A-A

King High:

• K-5+ offsuit
• K-2 through K-4 suited

Queen High:

• Q-8+ offsuit
• Q-6+ suited

Jack High:

• J-8+ suited only

Suited Connectors: 5-4s through 10-9s

Suited One-Gappers: 6-4s through 10-8s

Check (Don't Bet 4x) With

Hand Type	Examples
K-2 through K-4 offsuit	Check
Q-7 or worse offsuit	Check
J-x offsuit	Check
Unsuited unconnected low	Check

Pre-Flop Strategy Summary

Hand Category	Action
Any ace	4x
Any pair	4x
King with 5+ kicker	4x
King suited with any	4x
Queen with 8+ kicker	4x
Queen suited with 6+	4x
Suited connectors 5-4 to T-9	4x
Everything else	Check

Optimal Flop Strategy (2x)

If You Checked Pre-Flop

Bet 2x With:

Condition	Examples
Any made pair or better	Flopped pair, two pair, etc.
Hidden pair with board	Your 7-7 with board A-K-5
Four-flush	Two of your suit + two on board
Four to outside straight	Open-ended straight draw

Check With:

Condition	Action
No pair, no draws	Check
Inside straight only	Check (usually)
Overcards only	Check

Optimal River Strategy (1x)

If You Checked Pre-Flop and Flop

Bet 1x With:

Condition	Examples
Any pair or better	Always bet
Hidden pair (pocket pair)	Always bet
21+ dealer outs to beat you	Bet as blocker

Fold With:

Condition	Action
No pair, dealer can beat you	Fold
Very weak high card	Fold

The "21 Outs" Rule:

If the dealer needs 21+ cards to beat your hand, bet 1x even without a pair. This is complex—the calculator handles it.

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Pre-Flop 4x Bet

Hole Cards: A♥ 9♦ Decision: Bet 4x (any ace)

Flop: K♠ 7♣ 2♥ Decision: Check (already bet 4x)

Turn/River: 4♦ A♣ Final Hand: Pair of Aces - WIN

Example 2: Check Pre-Flop, Bet Flop

Hole Cards: J♦ 8♦ Decision: Check (J-8 offsuit equivalent not strong enough)

Wait—J-8 suited IS a 4x hand. Let me redo:

Hole Cards: J♦ 8♣ (offsuit) Decision: Check

Flop: J♠ 5♥ 2♣ Decision: Bet 2x (made pair)

Turn/River: 9♦ K♠ Final Hand: Pair of Jacks - WIN

Example 3: River Bet

Hole Cards: 9♣ 6♣ Decision: Check (not 4x hand)

Flop: A♠ K♦ 2♥ Decision: Check (no pair, no draw)

Turn/River: 9♦ 3♠ Decision: Bet 1x (made pair) Final Hand: Pair of 9s - WIN (if dealer doesn't qualify/loses)

Example 4: River Fold

Hole Cards: 10♦ 7♣ Decision: Check

Flop: A♠ K♥ Q♣ Decision: Check (no pair)

Turn/River: 2♦ 5♠ Decision: FOLD (no pair, can't win)

Trips Bet Analysis

Trips Side Bet Payouts

Hand	Typical Payout
Royal Flush	50:1
Straight Flush	40:1
Four of a Kind	30:1
Full House	8:1
Flush	7:1
Straight	4:1
Three of a Kind	3:1

Trips House Edge

The Trips bet has 1.90% house edge with this pay table—actually BETTER than the base game!

Pay Table Version	House Edge
50-40-30-8-7-4-3	1.90%
50-40-30-9-7-4-3	0.90%
50-40-20-7-6-5-3	6.18%

Check the pay table—some Trips bets are excellent value.

House Edge Breakdown

Base Game: 2.19%

Factor	Impact
Pre-flop 4x opportunity	Reduces edge
Blind requires straight+	Increases edge
Dealer qualification	Slight reduction

Compared to Other Games

Game	House Edge
Ultimate Texas Hold'em	2.19%
Three Card Poker (Ante)	3.37%
Let It Ride	3.51%
Mississippi Stud	4.91%
Caribbean Stud	5.22%

UTH has the BEST house edge of any poker table game.

Common Mistakes

1. Not Betting 4x Enough

Mistake: Only betting 4x with premium hands Reality: Any ace, any pair = 4x Fix: Follow the strategy—4x is your advantage

2. Betting 4x with Marginal Kings

Mistake: 4x with K-3 offsuit Reality: K-4 or worse offsuit is a check Fix: K-5+ offsuit, K-2+ suited

3. Missing Flop Bets

Mistake: Checking pairs on the flop Reality: Any pair or good draw = 2x Fix: Bet 2x with made pairs

4. Folding Too Much on River

Mistake: Folding with any weak hand Reality: Sometimes bet 1x as blocker Fix: Use the calculator for close spots

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is UTH house edge so low?

The 4x bet gives skilled players opportunities. Casinos accept lower edge for higher volume.

Should I play the Trips bet?

Check the pay table. 50-40-30-8-7-4-3 has 1.9% edge—better than some Trips versions are terrible.

When should I ever fold pre-flop?

Never. Always bet 4x or check—folding pre-flop is incorrect (you've already posted ante).

Does the blind bet matter for strategy?

No. Blind payouts don't affect your betting decisions—they're just bonuses on good hands.

Can I count cards in UTH?

Minimal benefit. Most casinos use continuous shuffle machines.

What's the biggest mistake in UTH?

Not betting 4x with any ace. Many players check A-2, losing significant value.

Advanced Concepts

The Blind Bet Math

Blind only pays on straights or better:

• You'll make a straight or better ~9% of hands
• Most blind bets lose or push
• Factor into overall expectation

Dealer Non-Qualification

Dealer doesn't qualify ~17% of hands:

• Your ante pushes
• Your raise wins at 1:1
• Still valuable outcome

Variance Considerations

Bet Type	Variance
4x pre-flop hands	Higher
2x/1x hands	Lower
Overall	Moderate-High

Bankroll recommendation: 75-100 ante units per session.

Pro Tips

• Memorize pre-flop 4x hands: This is where your edge comes from

• Any ace = 4x: No exceptions

• Any pair = 4x: Even 2-2

• Check the Trips table: Some are excellent value

• Don't fold pre-flop: Check or bet, never fold

Related Calculators

• Texas Hold'em Calculator - Same hand rankings
• Mississippi Stud Calculator - Similar multi-bet
• Three Card Poker Calculator - Simpler game
• Caribbean Stud Calculator - Five-card poker
• Casino House Edge Calculator - Compare games

Conclusion

Ultimate Texas Hold'em offers the best house edge (2.19%) in the poker pit when played correctly. Our calculator shows optimal 4x/2x/1x decisions at each street. Master the pre-flop strategy—any ace, any pair, and key suited hands all demand the 4x bet.

Calculate Your UTH Decisions Now →

The 4x bet is your weapon. Use it aggressively with the right hands, check when you should, and take advantage of the best odds in poker table games.