My first 2/4 game

[BurtBurberry]

Played in my first live table game at Foxwoods yesterday. Got lucky and played in a pretty tight, pretty passive game. Got a chance to learn without getting into too many hairy situations. Quick question to the more experienced players. I had J9s with three callers in front. I called. Two spades came on the flop, and I had top pair with nines. I raised and got everyone out of the running but one guy. He called my bets all the way, no overcards fell, and the last spade came on the river. We both had spade flushes. He had it king high, and I had it Jack high. Should he have been in that hand to begin with? Should I have? Obviously I thought so.

[Louie Landale]

J9s is a great multi-way hand in late position. Then you flopped top pair and a draw and should play it reasonably assertively.

When you have a small flush, you will lose a lot more often when the 4th spade comes or the board pairs, then you will lose to a larger 2-card flush. Flush-under-flush is pretty rare.

Statistically a made 2-flush may average something like Q6 (making a J flush a little less than average), but in practice people play a LOT more big 2-flushes than small 2-flushes (they'll play K4s more often than 94s); thus "J" is a "small" flush.

- Louie

[Bob T.]

Welcome to the forum.

Yes, you should have both been there. He might have raised the river, and you probably should have made a crying call. So in a weird sense, you actually came out one bet ahead on this hand.

[pufferfish]

I’d be curious to know what you and your opponent’s positions were. If he was behind you then you are talking about at least 5/6 seeing the flop. That’s pretty loose, for this hand anyway.

I don’t personally see anything wrong with playing that hand in this situation, but I can be a bit loose.

Not knowing your opponents position or second hole card it’s hard to tell if he should have been in the hand. If he was behind you I don’t think many would scream about even playing K little suited with at least 4 limpers, maybe I’m wrong.

I think you played it fine. I just saw the river with two opponents and my flush (36d from a blind of course /forums/images/icons/wink.gif) took it down.

pf