How to play strong hands on draw heavy boards?

Hello all.

I run into this situation frequently, and I would like some advice.

Let's say you have J-J on the button. You make and preflop raise, and get two callers.

Flop comes Js-10h-6h. You flopped a set. There are straight and flush draws on board. Opponents could have hands like Q-9 or K-Q, or A-rag suited.

My question is, how much do I bet on boards like this against bad players? My best friend says he would pot the flop. But I like to play small ball mostly. I don't want to fold out draws when I have the edge. I may bet around 1/2~3/4 pot here.

Should I bet full pot, or give them better odds to call? Please give me your thoughts CC members.

The example I gave was just one of many situations. I also find myself in similar spots with top/top or top-two. I just wanted to know how I should be betting on wet boards.

Minimum: Enough to give them incorrect pot odds (and implied odds) to call, so at least 1/2 pot really.

Maximum: as much as you think they will call, villain dependant. This can be more than pot sometimes.

Hint: bad players will pay heavily to chase a draw, particularly on the flop.

Lucothefish said:

Hint: bad players will pay heavily to chase a draw, particularly on the flop.

Click to expand...

very true^ haha

Nothing wrong with potting it on draw heavy boards with a strong made hand, especially into 2 opponents. And as mentioned a lot of bad players draw when given the wrong odds, a lot of players at 2nl don't even know about pot odds/equity anyway!

runnerx289 said:

very true^ haha

Nothing wrong with potting it on draw heavy boards with a strong made hand, especially into 2 opponents. And as mentioned a lot of bad players draw when given the wrong odds, a lot of players at 2nl don't even know about pot odds/equity anyway!

Click to expand...

Thats ok as long as they dont hit,which seems to happen to me a lot lately !!

Lets say you bet the pot and both str and flush draws are chasing and call... Would that mean the flush chaser has the correct odds? Well lets say they all have roughly 2 dollars in a 2nl buyin gam??

flush being 3.5 I think? (If you include implied odds) and Open ender being 4 to 1 odds right?

Yeah the second caller is getting better odds on his call than the first. So bet a bit bigger three way for sure.

steveiam said:

Thats ok as long as they dont hit,which seems to happen to me a lot lately !!

Click to expand...

Yes me too. People have been getting mighty lucky lately on me. That is one of the reasons I started the thread.

Thanks to all for the replies. I guess we all want people to chase, and it will work itself in the long run.

well dont give them correct odds first, if onme of the oppenants is short stack put them all in,, im thinking a pot size bet.

I typically bet the pot on scary boards with a strong hand. I want anyone chasing to pay, if I chase out a hand like 2nd pair that might call a smaller bet, I am fine with that. I don't focus on trying to win a big pot with a big hand in situations where a lot of cards can easily turn my big hand into a loser. One of the hardest things to get away from is a big hand, unless its completely obvious your beat.

When in doubt, just try to win the pot. It's a lot better to win a small pot than lose a big pot.

i always bet pretty big. make them pay to get there

For me, these were awkward spots too but I love them now and they pay good money.
On flop, against one opponent, id bet 3/4 pot, full vs 2, if no scare card on turn and I know they have a draw and not tp, i bomb turn. if a scare card falls and he bets, id call a decent bet up to 3/4, id he checks, id check back for pot control.
Tough part is if there is a combo on board, if he only has one of the two draws, which one does he have? in that situation, do the best you can to get to showdown. pay attention to the size of the pot. if draws get there by river and we are faced with a decision for stacks, take your time, go through the hand from the begging and ask what makes sense for him to have. if half my stack is in by the river and scare card comes,i personally have a hard time folding, but if im very deep and the math doesnt look good for me, im folding. might sound counter intuitive but thats my thoughts. hope it helped..gl

Pot for value and protection

ionized77 said:

For me, these were awkward spots too but I love them now and they pay good money.
On flop, against one opponent, id bet 3/4 pot, full vs 2, if no scare card on turn and I know they have a draw and not tp, i bomb turn. if a scare card falls and he bets, id call a decent bet up to 3/4, id he checks, id check back for pot control.
Tough part is if there is a combo on board, if he only has one of the two draws, which one does he have? in that situation, do the best you can to get to showdown. pay attention to the size of the pot. if draws get there by river and we are faced with a decision for stacks, take your time, go through the hand from the begging and ask what makes sense for him to have. if half my stack is in by the river and scare card comes,i personally have a hard time folding, but if im very deep and the math doesnt look good for me, im folding. might sound counter intuitive but thats my thoughts. hope it helped..gl

Click to expand...

Yes this all makes sense. That's pretty much what I do.

One of the reasons I made this thread is how bad i have been running.

For example: I am heads up, flop a set, and bet 3/4~full and get one caller. Then the turn brings in what could only be a gutterball. They have it. I regularly get called by gutshots, 6 high flush draws, even nothing but ace high (opponent hoping for an ace with ace rag when I hit top pair with something like K-Q).

This lady called two streets yesterday when I had 9-9 on a 2-4-4 board, when she had A-J, and she spikes an ace on river. It's just really getting me down how unlucky I have been against the calling station fools.

Another example: I raised pre with A-K suited, and I flop top two. I bet enough to keep them calling. When the river comes a 3, I think I am good. I bet again, then get min-raised. Opponent rolls over 3-3. Called preflop, flop, turn, with 3-3, and they spike a 2-outer. That is a horrible call by villain. It is frustrating.

I guess I do want these people calling. I just wonder how long is the run-bad going to continue.

Thanks for all the replies to my thread everyone.