When do you chase that flush?

I'm not the world's best player. Let's get that out right away.

I have major problems with flush draws, I can't seem to pull myself away from them. I'm sure there are rules for this but I haven't read any of the books so I don't know them.

Playing $10 NL

Let's say you have two suited cards, no ace. Not connecting. You're in the pot because everyone else limped in. Flop gives you two more cards in your suit, no obvious straight draws on board. Pot has $.40 from the limpers, early bettor bets $.40. Do you call? If so, let's assume 4th street is not a spade. Bettor puts in $1, do you call again?

Same situation but with ace. I'm assuming that you have better odds to call bets with an ace suited hand.

I know you have approximately 1/3 chance of getting the flush with 2 on the flop, I suppose it's 1/6 just on the river.

So, all you experts let me know how you would play these hands.

Unless you think your implied odds are good then you need 4:1 to call. If he bets $.40 into a $.40 you're only getting 2:1, you could only call this if you could be sure your $.40 would see two cards which means he would have to check on the turn which is unlikely. With a suited ace, hitting your ace will often give you the best hand so you can add two or three more outs for a total of about 12 outs, so now you go to about 48% to win (for two cards) compared to 36% to win with a regular flush draw.

Suggest for the next month you do not chase sooted hands. INstead of even seeing raggy suited flops, use that opportunity to fold telling yourself it is a wiser move. Exceptions can be the occasional Ax, Kbigx sooted hands but only occasionally and with position.

Learn to calculate the pot odds for flush and str8 draws. Guesstimate the implied odds and where they are correct or better, make the call, but primarily just fold em PF.

Chasing is a leak you must learn to control. I still chase on occasion, flushes have some indescribable magic quality that makes us seek them. Bad news at a poker table!

I have pondered this myself quite often - is calling this the correct move. The pot odds calculation is great, and would have been my first explanation. You also need to consider, however, where your chip stack is at the moment, and the person you are chasing against. Lots of variables in poker, but if you first consider pot odds, you will find yourself winning more (and folding the "could-be's" more often).

I'm no expert either, but this is what I do.

Well for starters you can't use the odds of hitting the card in 2 cards because you only see one before the betting, so the odds of hitting on the turn and river are the same (well close enough, 9/47 and 9/46). The reason you should be more willing to call the flop is more opportunities to get money in the pot should you hit, thus better implied odds.

Just play against me. You'll hit your flush every time.

I usually only chase the flush if I have a big enough stack where it wouldn't really hurt and 2 over cards. I might also go all in on the draw if I am desperate for chips

Depends if two or more people called then ill fold at the turn, especially when the aggresor will most likely took another stab at the turn(unless if i connect then ill bet to see where im at).

Here's more fodder for the flush draw odds calculation:

ESPN - The flush crush - Poker

Thanks for the responses so far and for that article link too.

I guess I'll have to do some work on pot odds and implied odds.

My criteria for chasing a flush:

1) Has to be King or Ace-high
2) I have to be getting reasonable pot odds
3) There is a fair-to-good chance of getting more money into the pot should I hit the flush
4) The board isn't paired
5) Is my stack big enough to chase? (doesn't really apply to ring games)

I need all 5 of these before I call. (unless the pot odds trump any other considerations)

People may not be able to see straights, but they notice flushes, and it can be a lot harder to get them paid off. Just remember that the next time you call a huge bet on the turn, hoping for a diamond.

gott1rott said:

I usually only chase the flush if I have a big enough stack where it wouldn't really hurt and 2 over cards. I might also go all in on the draw if I am desperate for chips

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Calling with draws out of desperation, I have found, is not usually a good idea. Unless, of course, you are desperate to be out of the tournament.

Keebs212842 said:

Calling with draws out of desperation, I have found, is not usually a good idea. Unless, of course, you are desperate to be out of the tournament.

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Ah, but the difference here is that he said he would go all-in on the draw, if desperate. That adds some fold-equity to your hand, and can be the right move in certain circumstances.

most the time when i got a flush draw i only play them with a larger stack and only call bigger bets when i got the other player covered. i mostly play tourneys so its just deals on the situation and the player.