Best hand vs Draw......what to do?

[oneearthjc]

This type of situation has happened to me several times and I'm not sure how to handle it.

Very early in a tournament blinds at 15/30 and chip stacks are between 1100 and 1700. I get Ah 10c in middle position and raise to 90. Very loose aggressive player (went all in preflop earlier, didn't get called and showed 7 2 off suit) calls from the button and the big blind calls. The flop is As 10h 7s. I raise to 285 (size of the pot) the button goes all in and the big blind folds.

Given what I know about him I assume he is on a flush draw. What do I do?

I KNOW I have the best hand but he has 2 shots at hitting his flush. In my past experience (I've only been playing a couple months) people ALWAYS hit their flush draws in this situation. Not almost always, but EVERY time so far.

Do I let this guy push me off my hand? I don't know much about pot odds and % chance for this guy to hit the flush. Seems stupid to fold. but I'm risking the whole tournament very early on. Isn't that a stupid play on his part? Should I have bet more after the flop. Less after the flop? How should it be handled?

FYI I called and he showed Js 4s. The Q of spades came on the turn and ended my tourney.

 

[smd173]

Rough odds of a flush hitting when the money goes in on the flop is about 36% (9 outs times 4).

Flushes do not always hit. It just seems that way, because you remember instances like this where you were eliminated. I don't see how you are risking anything early on. You read your opponent correctly, you made the correct call and you were unlucky.

There is no difference between getting eliminated early on and getting eliminated on the bubble. You still get $0. If you scared to play top 2 pair, then you probably shouldn't be playing A-10o to begin with.

Poker isn't super easy. You can't always flop the stone cold nuts and you can't always win.

 

[the_diamant]

I would defintitly call. It's not that big of a risk that he will get flush. You just had unluck. And with two big par you just can't fold. It always is a risk to get eliminated but that is a risk you must take sometimes if you want to win in poker.
If you hadn´t call you wouldn't have any chance to win now you had. If you hadn´t called on this, what would you have called with? this is a good hand that is worth playing.

 

[Goldog]

You're playing a version of poker that is based in fantasy. I KNOW he has the flush draw. Flush draws ALWAYS hit. You are certain you'll lose. Very flawed thinking (and negative too).

Learn the odds, learn hand reading and understand the game. Don't play scared of what will come. Play knowing you have the best of it but will lose sometimes. 64 out of 100 you would have had a nice start by doubling up early.

Against his range of hands (flush draw, Str8 draw, big ace, heck even T7 or worse, 777,TTT,AAA) you have to know you are likely a big favorite. Only the trips have you beat and you really only need to worry about 1 hand, 777, being ahead (the other trips being very unlikely since you have seen 2 each of them).

We all hate getting our money in against lucky donks with draws. But you have to remember you only have to get half as lucky as they do.

goldog

 

[crockofdoom]

Wise words from Goldog,I would call here also if you are sure you are ahead,and who knows,you may even hit another T or A to make the full house which ko's the flush

 

[ABorges]

How do you win at poker? You take every single edge you can get.

How do you win a tourney? By taking every chip.

Now, what do you do when someone who has gone all in with 72o and showed it pushed against your top 2 pair?? You insta call! Only hand that's beating you is a set, and that's extremely unlikely. Even if you know for sure he has a flush draw you should be glad you're calling, since you're doubling up around 67% of the time (T of spades isn't helping him). That's as big as an edge gets in NLHE. You really CAN'T know a spade is coming.

 

[chadherczeg]

you made a good call

no matter what happens you made the right call. All you can do is make a read on the hand, if you think you have the best hand you have to call the all in. No matter what the statistics always stay the same. You will win that hand 2/3 of the time and so putting your money in is the best move. You think the flush is always hitting because your mind never remembers all the times that you won against the flush draw, but it will always remember the beats you have taken against them. As long as you can lose that mindset and realize that putting your money in with the best hand is the right call, regardless of the outcome, your play will improve tenfold. It is fear that holds us all back and overcoming that fear is what makes you like the pros. gl to you and hope you continue to make good decisions and hope to see you on the felt.

 

[Paw_kit Aces]

Maybe he was on a flush draw and maybe he hit the ace (I feel this is most likely). You should have called, yes he may have hit his flush (assuming that is what he had) and you having two pair on the flop had two chances of hitting a full house.

 

[oneearthjc]

Thanks!!!

Thanks for all the wise words. Sorry if it seems like I'm whining!

 

[fcumred]

No one seems to have mentioned the possibility that he too had A 10 and therefore a split pot is possible.

 

[Better better]

Even if he does have A 10 also, and you split, at least you don't lose.

 

[rwilson]

no brainer. Always call here. you're very likely to have the best hand and if he's chasing a flush draw you have him smashed. The only real worry was the set. You are going to win this hand four out of five times if he is chasing the flush draw, and that means he is making the mistake by pushing.

You can't help bad luck if he hits... play the percentages and you'll win more often

 

[The Shrog]

You're always looking to get your money in with the best hand. In this instance, you were a large favorite and had to make the call. Like already stated, if you flop top two and are afraid to get out drawn, you shouldn't be in the hand.