Do You Bet Your Draw?

Sometimes I like to bet my draw when out of position. Say I have Q9 from the BB and the flop comes J T x. I like to bet maybe 2x the bb to prevent a huge bet from players acting after me. Is this a smart play?

I like to bet my draw maybe alittle to much say i have 87 of h and flop comes two harts and somebody bets i usually push them all in with my draw. Maybe that is why i never win lol because only half the time it hits. but i have gotten better i have not been trying to put my whole tourny on draw unless i have made the money. well good luck

kyle

I would say pushing on your draw is a huge mistake. I'm just asking is betting 2-3x the bb out of position a smart play to prevent huge bets that would force you to lay down.

Hand #1

You have

Your opponent has

Flop comes

Your hand has a 64% chance of winning by the river. You should bet.


Hand #2

You have

Your opponent has

Flop comes

Your hand has a 66% chance of winning by the river. You should bet.


When we're playing poker, you don't bet when you have a made hand & check/call when you're drawing. You bet based on equity in the pot (chance of winning by the river), and the odds that worse hands will call, or better hands will fold.

c9 very good info thanks.

I usualy bet into my draw if there is a high card with my draw and I am early to act. This way I can see if others have that high card or maybe on the draw themselves.

I have 9 10 and the flop comes J8A rainbow. If I bet here and I get callers or even one caller I can assume an A here depending on pre flop play. If no one has the A they are likely to fold.

Thoughts?

Ok but what if a player has a strong ace or even possibly 2 pair. If you bet into them they will more than likely raise. So then what?

I like to bet not high just enough to keep control of the betting.. I dont like not having control it scares me off my draw ..And I wind up folding before i hit ...So I say if you can get control by a small bet thats how I would do it.

A lot of people bet weakly on their draws, and it can give you a cheap card. But, good players with strong hands will pick up on this and reraise, putting you in a tough situation. This can be especially painful if you lead out early, and are trying to draw out of position.

I'd much sooner check in early position, especially in a multi-way pot. If I'm raising with my draw, then I'm raising the same as if I had a hand. Unless your draw is very big, taking down the pot with a semi-bluff is usually a positive result. Give yourself a chance to take the pot if you miss your draw by putting some real pressure on your opponents. And that means a real bet. If you get a caller AND hit the draw, then you're looking at a big potential pot.

This is especially true for the diabolical "min-bet with the flush draw" that I see every day.
A) You're bumping up a pot in which you most likely don't have the best hand
B) You're not driving anyone out who has any hand or draw
C) You're just asking for a real hand to slap you down with a reraise
D) If it works, the play is so transparent that you're not likely to get paid off if you hit your hand

Shut up, this move saves me so much money its ridiculous.

i like to throw in a value bet on the flop if i have a flush draw when everyone checks it to me... that way if everyone folds... im more than happy to pick up the pot there ... if the call is made and i hit... i could slow play them and pretend i was trying to steal the pot on the flop... you could just check the flop but people could easily put you on a draw... betting it makes it more deceptive.. they have no idea what you have..

I think it all depends on the opponents play. If they are real aggressive then I may just check and if they bet into me evaluate my call based on odds. If they are somewhat passive and I feel I have a possibility of a steal I will bet maybe half the pot or so and see what my next move is based on their reaction.

I have tried to mix it up, but seem to make the wrong choice most of the time. I think to myself that was stupid. Anyway, still trying to learn. Thanks for the info to those who posted.

If the re-raise was a min bet I would call. Also depends on my stack size and what I read from the other player. If I get more then one call or re-reaise then i am out of there.

I'd say betting your draw is very dependent on tendencies of opponents, position, and # of opponents. Also strength of draw.

I guess it's also less risky in limit. I hate betting in NL and then getting blown off my draw.

I also like betting my draws and was wondering, when do you slow down(if ever) on betting?
eg: Blinds 100/200

Your dealt: 9T Flop:8JA rainbow, your first to act with a chipstack of say 3k, as far as the bet sizing goes i see most would agree 3xBB is a reasonable bet.
You make your 3xBB bet OOP, villian comes in to you with a reraise(min). call?

I have played online for over 10 years now and their is no definate answer to raising a draw or not. If you have played the table tight the whole time it is usually best to control the betting.On the other hand a loose player should usually not bet because they are more likely to be reraised

I will occasionally bet a draw given the right circumstances, I much prefer however betting out while knowing I have the nuts. You have made 50 posts in less than 50 minutes, all one liners, I will bet my bankroll that they all get deleted and you will either get a warning or banned, nutz baby.

Wow thanks for the encouragement. This thread was actually to help me play better when I'm out of position with a draw and not wanting to call a ridiculous sized bets my opponents acting after me. And it has helped me alot. I got what I needed out of this thread and gained skill to add to my bag of tricks at the table so why you gotta bust me up for it?

If your taking to me ? you will see I quoted "jdude". I "won" my bet, all his posts have been deleted. The thread HAS been informative and I meant what I said in the 1st part of my post.

Ah I see. And yes I like the nutz too but that doesn't happen all that much. Seldomly one flops the nutz and it may only be the nutz at that point. Tun and river may make that hand easily foldable.

No. If you do this to me, I'm going to re-raise you and punish you for making a weak bet.

I MIGHT not re-raise a very (very) good player who made a 2xbb raise... he could be trying to trap me. I'd have to play my man there.

I would bet your draw in most games. I make a lot of continuation bets anyway, but it depends on the number of people still in the hand. Betting the flop tends to be a profitable play. You can still make your straight if you get called.

The real question is to fire a second bullet when you miss...

draws are tricky to play. whether its a flush draw or an open ender its betting it out that will enable you to keep your oppenent from putting you on the draw. when you just check call check call or even flat call sometimes they could put you on it. if you bet it out and its comes you'll be paid more than if you chased by check calling. but always mix up the way u bet them to avoid a pattern someone paying attention could notice.

Well I think the example earlier answers your last question. If I have an open ended straight flush draw after the flop and bet 2x the bb. Let's say 2 other players call you. The turn is a miss. I would say definitely fire the second bullet. More than likely at least one if not both will fold. The river will probably pay you off anyways lol.

And with regards to your first comment. You would reraise me. Now if you know I'm on the draw you would but let's say you flop mid-pair. I don't see you making a raise to my 2xbb bet.

If you are going to bet your draw then you stay committed to it. Unless the turn kills your hand completely,i.e. 4 suited cards, then you should follow through to the river. (Given the odds). Chasing and then folding at the turn is just spewing chips. If the odds are correct you will clean up.

Agreed. It's just very hard sometimes to fire a second bullet when the turn is a blank. I get very nervous lol.

That's why position is so important on draws. If you bet your draw on the flop, your opponent(s) will often check to you on the turn, so you have the option of double-barreling, or taking your free card.

Hehe, but when you do that's often where your opponent will fold, especially with an A on the board. For me, it all depends on my opponent. If I feel I have a chance to buy the pot while drawing, then I'll raise. Especially with an A on the board, I might be able to represent top pair. If I know my opponent will make me pay big to chase, well, then I don't even bother. That game can get expensive. Although, as mentioned, with an A/K flush, your odds put you in good shape. Probably should consider opponent's stack size in the calculation.

dave

I like to use drawing hands for an occasional bluff, especially with an ace or king being checked to me. I will check call if I am not bluffing and bet 5xbb for a semi-bluff. reraise of same I call, to an all-in I'm out.

I would say betting your draw for the most is a very good and solid play in poker. You will see alot of good players and pros betting their draws very aggresively for the most depending on the situation. Obviously, this play varies and alot of the time is all about timing like any other play in poker. I mean say for your in your stance when you had Q 9 and the flop was J 10 x and you bet into a player. Say he has A K, then you are favorite anyways. It doesn't really matter what he has though because if he folds to your bet then you take the pot down right there which isn't bad at all. If he raises, then you have a decision to make depending on chip counts, etc. Finally, if he calls then that's OK too because with you betting, your representing you already have a made hand like some kind of J or 10. So if you hit your magical 8 or K on the turn, then the opponent probably will not put you on Q 9 because you bet the flop representing a made hand. Check raising your draw is also a very unique and great play in poker. Overall though I'd have to say yes betting your draws is often a very profitable play in poker. As always GL at the tables...Mikey

I know very little strategy, but from what has worked for me and what I see work for good players: bet your hand until you get reraised (even a draw), and if you are a good bluff sniffer you will do well over the top. Overall, if you fire that second bullet (and the almighty third if you don't catch- OMG) you will take more pots than lose if you are reading the other players somewhat well.

The toughest thing in poker for me to grasp is taking what will often be a step backward, but will average out as a step forward. Betting a draw is a great example of that. Betting the pot on the flop regardless of what you have (depending on how the table has been playing) is another. In any of these situations, it's critical to be unpredictable or you'll get read in a heartbeat. It takes balls, but time well it will get you to the final riding the gravy train on biscuit wheels!

To the guy who said he all-in's draws: Even I know that's a losing strategy. If you have 2 cards left to hit your hand, there are good odds potentially. The odds that your opponent (s) will be scared out are a huge factor in this decision. However, when you say you catch half the time, I would have to say it's probably more like 30% at best. It is for me, anyway and we're playing the same digital decks. You will get lucky sometimes, but I prefer to keep my gambles to when they are necessary. Fish

depends on position. if youre in last position and your opponent(s) have checked to you, this play is understandable. youre making a semi-bluff...

I would bet my draws but getting it all in before hitting is just straight gambling.