help playing gutshots please..

hey guys, I've been playing nlhe poker, mainly home cash games for about 6-7 months now and I needed some advice on how to go about playing gutshots. Sometimes it'll be a 0.25/0.5 $ game , other times 0.1/0.2. Now as I have heard repeatedly from another friend at the table, when you have a gutshot draw on the board and the guys in play have cash behind its always the implied odds that are important. So for instance if I have a 4-outer to the nuts and I expect to get paid of if I hit it I'll always think of the cash they have left behind and in most cases where I have a gutshot the guys have either hit top pair, two pair or a set. Also the guys tend to always defend what they hit with bets ranging from 3/4th the pot to pot sized bets.So what do I do? by the implied odds theory wouldnt that require I keep chasing for a chance at a pay off everytime? It sucks because everytime I chase I dont hit and the second I fold the turn cards my wanted card. This question applies to both the turn and river card where If i have my figures right i'll hit my gutshot one in 5 times on the turn and 1 out of 10 times on the river?

Thinking about implied odds is always fun. Here's an outs chart:



Given your opponent's bet sizing (3/4 to pot) I'd skip gutshots and only continue with a flush draw or open ended straight draw - they're pricing out your implied odds too far to chase a gutshot.

If both you and your opponent are deep stacked (getting on for 200bb each) and you're in position and you think he'll put his whole stack in if you hit, then go for it. But in general, chasing gutshots is just burning your chips.

Yeah don't go calling 3/4 pot sized bets chasing gutshots. Looking at the table above you only have about 8-9% chance of hitting one of your 4 outs on the next street so you need pretty huge implied odds to make the call profitable. You say you expect to get paid if you hit, but what if opponent is bluffing or only has a weak pair and gives up after betting one street? Careful not to overestimate your implied odds - a lot of the time you wont get paid off when you hit.

Fold

/thread

Not all gutshots are created equally. KQss on Js9d5c is a lot different than 87dd on 9s5s4c.

Good replies in this topic so far. Gutshot draws are often not worth calling bets with when the intention is hit to win or give up the pot. The draw should be but one of several factors that determine whether or not you want to put any more chips into the middle. It's nice to have that bit of extra equity when you're the aggressor (and binking one is usually a much more disguised hand than making a flush for instance), but 4 outs to win a pot is drawing rather thin.

Every 10 gutshots... 3bet them.. This will confuse them and it'll keep your opponents guessing what the hell you have? they may even fold the better hands off you. If they end up taking you to the showdown... you look like a donk and it opens up for the setup move!

Don't forget when you have the decision on the gutshots... what are you chances you can make these opponents fold? ... You'll be suprised what tighter players fold when some scare cards come out in future streets. Just food for thought.

If they have a set or top pair... Keep an eye out for possible straights or flushes. Especially when you can put opponents on a range of hands and their playing style.

hells fire man,you shouldnt even consider drawing to a gut shot.

Check back if you can, or call 1/4 pot or less. Even that won't show a profit but at least you won't get in too much trouble. Don't even consider calling 3/4 pot. You just won't make enough in the long run to justify it.

Very simple. Like others have said, fold that $hit. One good way to ensure you lose is to chase every draw you got.

Yes it is funny to catch that 4 outter and watch your buddy cuss you out but over the long run, chasing that 4 outter dream is a sure sign of a fish.

Also, if you really wanna get good at poker, play more online and less in home games. Quality of players online, even at the lowest levels, is better than 90% of home game players.

Hone your skills online and then clean out your buddies' wallets