If you had Q6, or 86, the heart of the straight is on the board, making it easier for someone else to have cards that will fill the straight: J7, QJ, 67 – and then it’s more likely that you’re drawing to a straight someone else may already have. So QT, Q9, Q8, T9, and 98 are the preferred hole cards to hold in this situation. If you have one, or two of three cards at the “heart” of the straight, to me that’s a much better situation for you to be in, because it’s entirely possible no one else is even on the draw, so if you fill it, you are going to be the only one who has it. On the other hand, I think it matters more which cards are in your hand, and which are on the board. My initial thinking is that yes, you are drawing to 8 outs, the same as you are with a standard OESD.
