In poker, the term “out” means a card which helps the player to improve their hand and create a stronger poker hand. Outs are determined in the context of the current situation and depend on what kind of hand the player needs to win.

For example, if a player has two hearts cards in hand and there are two hearts cards on the table, receiving a fifth heart (flush) will be an out for the player. If there are already two hearts on the flop and the turn, that means there are 9 hearts in the deck (13 in the deck, minus 2 in hand and 2 on the table), and these 9 cards are the player’s “outs”.

Players use the concept of outs to calculate their chances of improving their hand and decide whether it’s worth continuing to participate in the round (for example, whether they should call or raise), bearing in mind the probability of receiving the required card in the next betting round.