Hi,

Couple of weeks ago, I’ve started playing NL Holdem with some friends. I believe I did well in most of our games, but then I guess everyone gets bored at some point and would eventually want to try something new though there’s no assurance.

Though not so sure, I tried limit games. Well, I decided to first try 5/10c tables. In one of my games, I was bothered because of something related to betting after certain flops by which more than 60% of people see the flop. For an instance, you have a KH on the button, in a loose passive game, 10 people, say 5/10c.4 out of 7 people call the big blind round to you. As a result, because you have a good hand perhaps, you opted to raise. Eventually, everyone called, thus giving7 players a chance to see the pot which is the ks 7d 2d.

Then assume that all players checked. And 4 maybe more players called based on pre-flop and other factors. Somebody on a flush draw afterwards called and got the proper odds. No matter what you do, even if you bet and the SB re-raised, all flush drawers would still have the proper or right odds easily.

What do you think now, shouldn’t be the right move is to check and not to bet? Well, there’s a possibility that if you check, a diamond might take place and so there’ll be some action and eventually you can get away from the hand with the possibility for a flush.

Else, if the turn came and it was a blank, then you can raise or even re-raise later on. But I’m not so sure about this honestly.

In your opinion, what’s the best move, to raise or check?

Thanks!

Regards,
Andrew

Andrew,

In Limit Holdem, the object of the game is to extract bets when you are ahead and save bets when you are beat. When you flopped top pair with a potential for a flush draw out, you need to try and thin the field. Astute and stubborn players will call naturally to draw to the flush. Do not check here. In Limit poker, you do not give free cards. On the turn, if the turn falls a blank, you will want to bet out again. The same reasons apply. There is a chance that the draw may fold here, but not likely, especially if there are several bets in the pot.