Playing Flush Draws
Flush draws are some of the strongest draws you can have on the flop in Texas Holdem. They can result in winning you big pots. When you flop a flush draw in Limit Texas Holdem, it’s either going to be on a two-suited or three-suited flop.
Some may argue this point, but I would tell you to play them differently depending on what situation you are.
For example, if you are faced with a raise when you have a flush draw. The odds are not in your favor to hit the flush. So you need to calculate pot odds. Since there are 13 cards of each suit you will always have nine outs to make your flush when you have flopped a flush draw. This is approximately 2-1 (35%) against improving by the river. Your hand is stronger if you have additional draws like a pair, a straight draw, overcards and so forth.
When you flop a flush draw on a two-suited flop, you are almost always getting good pot odds to draw to the flush. When pot odds are in your favor, it’s pretty much an automatic call unless you’re low on chips, and this would make you pot committed. If that’s the case, don’t call. Either fold or go all in. You have to decide if this is the hand to gamble.
There are, however, a few exceptions:
*-Heads-up in an unraised pot and all you have is the flush draw. This might be a good spot to semi-bluff, but don’t check-call to the river.
*-If the flop comes with a pair and there is heavy action on the flop. Someone is likely to hold trips and you might lose to a full house even if you hit your flush.
*-You flop a small flush draw and there is heavy action on the flop. You might be drawing dead to a bigger flush draw. This is one of the reasons why the small-suited connectors are preferably played in late position.
When pot odds are not in your favor, don’t automatically fold. Consider the implied pot odds, which take into account future actions of remaining players. If there are a lot of players in the hand, and the majority will go after you by calling, you’re increasing their pot odds which means they’ll be more motivated to call themselves. At the end of the betting round, when you have added a few more callers to the pot value, perhaps your poker pot odds turn out favorab
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