Can't Get Away From Straights

Hi guys,

I've noticed I have a tendency to not believe when an opponent hits a straight. It generally happens if an opponent min-raises frequently and I have a hand like AsJh and I re-raise - they call and the flop comes something like 8hJs5c. I bet around 3/4 of the pot because I don't want another card coming off cheaply.

My opponent is in with 9h7h, they ride the bet and a 6h hits. They now have the nut straight, even if a 10 comes, and a possibility of the nut flush. Meanwhile I realise there is a small chance they may have a straight, but can in no way put them on the hand they are truly on.

My thinking is it is far more likely that they have a Jack with a smaller kicker given the way the hand played out. Even if they do have the straight from a suited connector, the odds are stacked against them so in the long-run I should profit. But too often I end up giving them the pot odds because I just can't believe every time a potential straight hits that the opponent automatically has it.

Basically I am ****ed when someone successfully small-balls me. Is this just unlucky or is it bad play that I can't recognise when I am definitely beat here?

If villain just calls you on the flop then suddenly raises you on the turn or river then you gotta slow down. If all you got is TPTK, you’re most likely dead. I’ve gotten destroyed lately by straights but it’s been after all the coins go in, in which case there’s nothing I can do. At microstakes, generally I just shove TPTK on the flop if I suspect villain will call with a draw (and many will). You’ll be amazed how many turds will commit their entire stack with nothing but a gutshot draw. When luck’s against you, you will lose a bunch of those, but hopefully you’ll win more than you lose.

You're not the only one who has a problem with folding hands like TPTK. Eventhought I'm like 90% sure I'm beaten holding top pair and getting a raise on the turn or on the river from some averange hoe, I just can't help myself and keep calling and calling most of the time. I'm struggling with this ever since I started playing. It's sometimes very hard to believe that they have a hand they are representing, but they mostly do(especially considering that most of them are unable to do such a move as a bluff). It needs more discipline and less curiosity I guess.

Thanks guys, I agree, I will take this on board.

Ok, I'll jump in on this, and let you decide if it's good or bad.

If you are in Position (Assuming you are), and villain 2xraises alot and you 3bet him and he calls often...Now assuming the flop comes J/10/6 (R), now since you're in position already (that's a benefit), because you get to see what he/she does on every street, and this will help you to narrow down the players range of hands that you put him/her on by the way they've been playing thus far...So on this flop, now villain comes out betting (taking into account how aggressive he/she plays, you can choose a path which is safe and sound)...So lets assume you just flat villain now..You flat the raise from villain so you don't blow the pot up in position with just TPTK and also to see how they react on the turn+let them keep their bluffs in and last but not least to keep chips in the off chance that all the scare cards hit that could potentially be in villains hand (K/Q/A/9/8/7), that's alot of hands to worry about yes, but this way is safer than the alternative, which would be (You re-raise their bet on the flop and they shove, and you end up stacking off vs them with only TPTK, don't you agree)? So now on the turn (Lets just say the turn was the Deuce) , once again it's up to villain to make a decision (since your in position), and now they choose to check (Well since they bet out into you on the flop, and checked to you on the turn, than you can safely assume their holdings to be one of these hands, KQ/AK/QJ/98/97/87/Q8//Q9/ and 10x type of hands, and will also add QJ...So what should you do in this case (This would depend on your read on villain), does he/she bet out with draws, and shut down on turns when it doesn't hit? Are they the type that trap with sets+2 pair hands, and bet flop and check turn hoping that you take the bait? Do they play any smaller pairs in this manner, 7s< Do they bet out on gutter draws 1 time and shut down on turn if it doesn't complete?


These are the things you need to worry more so about when playing hands like TPTK vs anyone really because if the straight card happens on the turn, and your just betting away, than is it really villains fault that he hit is card and you didn't notice? Or is it yours?