When to run it twice in poker

What is Run it twice in Poker?

Run it Twice means to deal two board runouts once players are all in. Each runout is worth half the pot. Running it twice is a popular option amongst professional players because it helps to reduce variance (without affecting the profitability of the situation). To reduce variance even further players sometimes elect to run the board three or even four times, with each run being worth an equal segment of the 

Explanation of Run it twice

Imagine a scenario where two players are all-in on the flop for a large amount of money. If they both agree to “run it twice” then two turns and two rivers will be dealt.  Each runout is worth exactly one half of the pot. If each player wins one runout, the overall pot will hence be split. 

Note that any remaining cards in a hand of poker will be dealt once by default. Running it twice will only occur if all all-in parties reach a consensus that this should happen. If one player wants to run it twice but his opponent does not, then the pot will be run once.

Players even have the option of running a pot more than twice, so long as they are in agreement. If they opt to run the pot three times it means that three separate turn and rivers will be dealt, each worth one third of the pot.

Example of Run it Twice being used in a sentence -> When running it twice each run is worth exactly half of the pot.

How to Use Run it twice as Part of Your Poker Strategy

Should We Run it Twice?

There is some confusion regarding the best strategic approach to running it twice. There are some myths out there that running it twice, thrice, or once, may be best depending on the type of hands that we have. The truth is that it makes no difference in terms of expectation.  The long run result will be the same whether we run it once or five times.

This is not to say that running the pot multiple times is meaningless. As a general guide, the more times we run a pot, the more we reduce variance. Multiple runs hence allow our results to comform more closely to our expected value in the short term. Since one of the harder aspects of playing poker professionally is dealing with variance, a decent number of players will elect to run it twice (or more) when given the option.

When Should I Run it Twice in Poker?

Running it twice (or multiple times) does not impact on the overall profitability of a situation in poker and it helps to reduce variance. As such, it may be worth always running it twice (or more) by default. Having said this, some players simply prefer the excitement of running it once and this is a perfectly valid reason to not run it twice. The expected value will remain exactly the same. 

Does Running it Twice Give Me an Advantage in Poker?

Contrary to some of the advice out there, running it twice at the correct moment does not give us an advantage over our opponents. Having said this, running it twice may be advantageous in the sense that it helps to reduce the effects of short term variance. 

What is the Difference Between Running it Twice and Running it Three Times?

Running it three times simply means we draw three sets of board runouts rather than two. It doesn’t actually have any impact on the expected value of the situation. However, the more times we run a situation the more it decreases short term variance. This means we will likely run closer to our expected winrate over the short term if we run a situation more times. 

Which Types of Hands Should Run it Twice in Poker?

Any type of hand can run it twice in poker. The idea that some types of holdings prefer to run it twice while other types of hands prefer to run it once or thrice is a myth. Running multiple times doesn’t confer any advantage over other players; it simply helps to reduce variance. 

How Does Run it Twice Work in Poker?

If two players are all in on the turn, two river cards will be dealt, each worth half the pot. If two players are all in on the flop, two sets of turn and river cards will be dealt (four cards in total) each runout being worth half the pot. It’s even possible to run it twice after getting the chips in preflop. In this case two entire 5-card boards will be dealt, each worth half of the pot. The deck is not reshuffled at any point so if a card appears in the first runout it can’t then appear as part of the second runout since it has already been dealt