Picket Fence Chances in Poker

Can't find this on google at all. Normally a 'picket fence' in poker is a joke, someone who was going for a straight misses it so badly that the missing cards on the inside are complete. For example, someone going for an ace high straight winds up instead with A - Q - 10 - 8 - 6.

Now, seems to me the chances of a 5 card picket fence are the same as a 5 card straight. Can someone confirm that? Likewise, a 6 card or 7 card picket fence would be the same as a 6/7 card straight???

Quote: odiousgambit

Can't find this on google at all. Normally a 'picket fence' in poker is a joke, someone who was going for a straight misses it so badly that the missing cards on the inside are complete. For example, someone going for an ace high straight winds up instead with A - Q - 10 - 8 - 6.

Now, seems to me the chances of a 5 card picket fence are the same as a 5 card straight. Can someone confirm that? Likewise, a 6 card or 7 card picket fence would be the same as a 6/7 card straight???

We used to call that an Arkansas straight, every other one, like the teeth on an Ozarks hillbilly. It was one of my dad's favorite jokes on family poker night. (My apologies to any Arkansans here.) Then my sister married one, though from the Missouri side, and he was a great guy, who died with all his teeth. Thanks a lot, Vietnam. We remember you with much love on this Memorial day, Gerry.

I would think the odds are the same. Two specific and missing cards replaced by two specific and other rank cards.

If you have 5 cards, then a 5-card picket fence would occur at 60% of the frequency of a 5-card straight.

There are only 6 possible 5-card picket fences, ranging form A-high to 9-high. 9 high is 9-7-5-3-A.

However, there are 10 possible 5-card straights: A-high ranging down to 5-high.
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So 5-card picket fence frequency to 5-card straight frequency is 6/10 = 60%

In northern NJ, we called it a kangaroo straight

Quote: gordonm888

If you have 5 cards, then a 5-card picket fence would occur at 60% of the frequency of a 5-card straight.

There are only 6 possible 5-card picket fences, ranging form A-high to 9-high. 9 high is 9-7-5-3-A.

However, there are 10 possible 5-card straights: A-high ranging down to 5-high.
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So 5-card picket fence frequency to 5-card straight frequency is 6/10 = 60%

I suppose that is true, and more correct. I was looking at the odds of, given 3 cards every-other, chances of the double gutshot are equal to getting the picket fence.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

In northern NJ, we called it a kangaroo straight

Paigowdan uses that term in his book too. Somebody came to Galaxy with a rip-off of Three Card Poker with an added rule of a hand called a kangaroo straight.

Quote: Wizard

Paigowdan uses that term in his book too. Somebody came to Galaxy with a rip-off of Three Card Poker with an added rule of a hand called a kangaroo straight.

How ironic ,someone came to Galaxy with a rip-off of a game.

thanks all

some random draws of 5 and 7 card hands indicate 2 card and 3 card 'kangaroo'* straights are the most common, with zero card kangaroos well in the mix. Of course it seems natural to make the 3 card more valuable, then the 4, then the 5 [which is hard to make for sure] even if a large sample showed, as seems likely, that zero card is harder to achieve than 2/3

in dealer's choice, I try to find a game I am better at to call. Perhaps the best kangaroo straight could split the pot in 7 card stud. An advantage would be knowing 5 card is smoking, 4 card very likely to win, and 3 card of higher rank should be played most times tho a scan of shown cards would be in order. 2 card would be dicey.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

In northern NJ, we called it a kangaroo straight

I wonder if the origin of the term is this Abbot and Costello bit.

I always thought it would be a neat VP variant to pay this kind of "straight". Sure seems like I get it enough....