If you are starting out in the immense world of poker and learning the different strategies and possibilities that you have as a player, keep reading: in this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about the backdoor to be able to play online poker as if you were an expert.

First of all, we want to anticipate that the backdoor is not a strategy for everyone, since it requires a certain level of knowledge of the game to be able to implement it.

However, it is important that you know it to know what strategies you could face from your rivals and that you are not caught off guard when placing your bet.

What does “back door” mean?

“Backdoor”, as its name indicates in English, refers to the back door and this, in poker, is related to a move that turns out differently from what was expected (which can lead to a favorable or unfavorable result, but unexpected, after all).

Furthermore, this term is also used to describe plays in which two additional cards are needed to complete the “draw” and result in a strong hand.

These plays are quite difficult to specify, but, at the same time, they are very difficult for the opposing players to predict, since the probabilities are less than 5%. For this reason, they are also known as backdoor plays.

How does a backdoor play work in poker?

As we already mentioned, this type of play is usually made by a player who already has a certain level of understanding in poker, since it requires knowledge of probabilities and strategies. However, it is important that you know what it is so that you can anticipate the plays that other players could make and, why not, take them by surprise with a backdoor play.

Now… how exactly does the backdoor work in poker? To begin, it should be noted that, in poker, the plays, the positions on the table and the cards that are dealt to each player have a name.

Let’s go over the table positions to better understand the backdoor

The group made up of the first three cards that a player receives to turn at a poker table is known as the flop and the two subsequent cards, in case of not having a strong hand with the flop, are known as the turn (the fourth card) and the river (the fifth card).

In a backdoor play, what happens is that the player was dealt a weak deck on the flop, and to try and improve it, they must use the turn and river to complete their play and turn their weak hand into a strong hand.

Let’s see two examples to better illustrate the backdoor cases

Suppose the cards are dealt and your flop is dealt A-6-4; In order to win that game, you need to be dealt, for example, a 10 on the turn 10 and a J on the river. In this case, you will have won with a flush backdoor.

Another case could arise if you were dealt, for example, a 10 and an Ace of clubs and there were a 6, a 7 and a K on the board (two of them also clubs). So, you decide to go for the Flush, since you would only need one more card of this suit.

But it turns out that, on the turn, the 9 and 8 of clubs come up. Without expecting it, you have landed a royal flush (straight flush), which is a less likely combination and, therefore, of greater value.

Advantages and disadvantages of backdoor in poker

Next, we will clarify the advantages and disadvantages of making this type of move so that you can decide with complete confidence the steps to follow in your future game.

One of the great advantages of making this move is that it is very difficult to predict, so it is likely that, when it comes to making it, luck is on your side, since your opponents will not be able to see it coming.

However, one of the big disadvantages of this play is that it is very difficult to nail down, since you need 2 very specific cards on the turn and river to reach a winning hand.

Another of the disadvantages of this type of move is that, as we mentioned at the beginning, its execution is somewhat complex for players who are starting out, so it is ideal that they practice a little more before trying to perform a backdoor. Luckily, at Bodog, there are several trial versions for you to practice.

We hope this information will be useful to you in order to increase your level of experience in a game as interesting as poker and so that you can be victorious more often.