Run it twice or running it twice is a popular term used when playing poker inside land-based casinos, especially high-stakes poker. For newbies, it’s okay to wonder what does run it iwice mean in poker, the term might sound confusing but it’s really straightforward. Players run it twice when they choose to go all in during a match. Note that both players have to assent to go all in for run it twice to occur.
Upon deciding to run it twice, the remaining board is dealt twice. When this happens, half the pot on each round goes to the player with the best hand. Players can run it more than twice – three times, four times, five times, and so on.
Players ought to note that they can call for running it twice during the earlier betting rounds. Once they do that, two turns and two rivers will be dealt. In an instance where only one player wants to run it twice and the other doesn’t, the pot is only run once.
Conditions that Necessitate the Calling of Running It Twice
Running it twice can only be called when there are three conditions in place which are as follows:
- All players involved in the game are willing to go all in
- All competing players agree to run it twice
- The poker room they are playing at allows for the calling of run it twice.
Possible Outcomes of Running It Twice in Poker
When two players choose to run it twice, there are six possible outcomes that can happen. These are as follows:
- Player One may win the first board and scoop half the pot and proceed to win the second board and scoop half the pot
- Player Two may win the first board and scoop half the pot and proceed to win the second board and win half the pot
- Player One may win the first board and scoop half the pot and Player Two wins the second board and scoop half the pot (or vice versa)
- Player Two may win the first board and scoop half the pot and Player One wins the second board and scoop half the pot (or vice versa).
Is Running It Twice Advantageous to Players?
In simple terms, running it twice does not give any advantage to the player to win the game. What it does however is that it reduces the effects of short-term variance. Likewise, choosing to run it twice more than once does not give any winning advantage to the player. However, the more times you choose to run it twice, the short-term variance decreases meaning the possibility of reaching the expected win rate over the short-term increases.
Because running it twice does not give any advantage to players, players can choose to call run it twice on any hand. There is no need of stressing about the perfect time/hand to run it twice.