TPTK and Nut Flush Draw - how to play?

No specific hand on this one. Just a situation I find myself in occasionally and not sure how to play it.

Let's say you are dealt Ah,Kh. You raise it 3x BB and get 2 callers.

The flop - Kc 9h 3h


What is the best way to bet this if I open/am checked to?

Normally with TPTK I would bet about 3/4 pot to give a flush draw bad odds to call. But in this case if the flush comes I have the nuts...and if someone else is on a lower flush draw I have a good chance to win alot of money off them.

Do I bet 1/3 pot to give them good odds and suck them in? Check? Other suggestions?

Toad said:

No specific hand on this one. Just a situation I find myself in occasionally and not sure how to play it.

Let's say you are dealt Ah,Kh. You raise it 3x BB and get 2 callers.

The flop - Kc 9h 3h


What is the best way to bet this if I open/am checked to?

Normally with TPTK I would bet about 3/4 pot to give a flush draw bad odds to call. But in this case if the flush comes I have the nuts...and if someone else is on a lower flush draw I have a good chance to win alot of money off them.

Do I bet 1/3 pot to give them good odds and suck them in? Check? Other suggestions?

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Ring game or tourney, personally I would at least pot size bet. but if pot is small maybe even 2x pot size you want to get rid of AA if it there.

This situation is player dependent. You have to consider your image and how villain plays as well. Give a better situation with villain stats and you will get a better explanation from people who actually know what they're talking about.

Sorry...was trying to make it as general as possible.


My stats run about 19/6/2.

Assume 1 caller who is LAG or a calling station who has the potential to be on a flush draw. Assume I'm on the button and it's checked around to me (although I'd be interested to here your thoughts on if I was in early postion or if I was bet into). Also assume no likely straight draws on the board.

Obviuosly, If I'm in this pot with a nit then I am raising it more because I'm afraid of AA...

My questions are: Is it +EV to chase out someone who you suspect is on a lower flush draw in this situation? And if I do decide to suck him in with a low bet, how low is too low considering I may not hit my flush and end up with only TPTK on the river?

Toad said:

My questions are: Is it +EV to chase out someone who you suspect is on a lower flush draw in this situation? And if I do decide to suck him in with a low bet, how low is too low considering I may not hit my flush and end up with only TPTK on the river?

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I know it's only a general hand, but you cant assume an opponent is going to be on a lower flush draw. The chances of you having 2 of the same suit, one of your 2 opponents having 2 of the same suit, and the flop giving you top pair plus 2 more of that suit are so remote you could probably discount the probability.

It would be nice to stack someone here, but likelihood is you bet and they fold. The flop (King) has matched your preflop raise. You can't really slow play, as you'll only get action when you have been overtaken. So i'd just bet out as normal, same amount as I would if I missed, and just hope that now is the time that someone decides to fight back with air.

In this situation, I would not play it different from any other hand where I have TPTK.
That is the way I play it, if I hit the flush...bonus...if I don't then I still most likely have the best hand.
So IMO, play it as TPTK with the flush draw as a bonus if you hit.

^^ This, just play it as top pair for now then re evaluate later streets. I think you can only take your flush draw into account when you are check raised. That is when you need to consider odds, villains range and run some numbers through pokerstove

Zorba said:

Ring game or tourney, personally I would at least pot size bet. but if pot is small maybe even 2x pot size you want to get rid of AA if it there.

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I'm not sure I understand this response. A pot sized bet isn't going to get rid of AA. Most likely if Villian has AA he will reraise shove if you make that bet. A bet this size will chase out hands you beat that you want in the hand.

I agree with most of the others, bet here and hope someone has enough to stay around. A flush draw would be ideal but maybe even a smaller king or A-9 or something. This might be a good place to bet and then check the turn telling villian "I c-bet trying to steal and am giving up now" (not literally), hopefully inducing a bluff on the river.

Thanks for the responses...

That's pretty much how I've been playing it. Just that when I bet out on the flop in these situations alot of times everyone folds and I take down the pot right there...wasn't sure if I was missing an opportunity.

Yea no idea what you are on about somebody folding AA. If somebody had AA (and that is so remote why would you even consider it :S) and they checked flop then betting is only going to get you reraised/shoved...nobody is going to lay down AA in that situation.

Just play the hand normally. If somebody has a FD they'll probably stick around for the turn, and if you don't bet you 1. increase odds of getting drawn out on and 2. have a tiny pot where it doesn't even matter if you hit the nut flush.

When I said I would rasie more becuase I'm scared of AA I meant that I would rasie my normal amount - about 3/4 pot - as opposed to a lower amount like I was proposing -1/3 pot. (the concensus seems to be that a lower raise is a bad idea anyway). No way I raise 2X pot in this situation.

The other thing is that in the above situation AA would have normally reraised me preflop so I would already have my guard up.

Again, thanks for all the feedback.