KQs

[J.R.]

In either blind, with 3 limpers or more (or just one limper), I nearly always raise with KQs. Anybody do differently?

[Mike]

As always, if they are true limpers I think it's a good raise. Let 'em in cheap and they own you. I also like to raise if I flop a four flush or straight, but I am rethinking that position, as it doesn't seem as profitable for me as it should be.

If I have a mossback limping in, or a sneaky player, I usually go with a call/check and see what develops. Generally I feel raising this hand usually only has positive benifits, eg, you set up your flop play, and build yourself a pot.

[RockLobster]

Hi Mike--

I also like to raise if I flop a four flush or straight, but I am rethinking that position, as it doesn't seem as profitable for me as it should be.

Interesting that you should write that, I'm feeling the same way. Most of the games I'm in (Party 2/4 & 3/6) end up going to showdown, so I rarely have the added (necessary?) value of winning the pot right there, maybe that's part of the problem?

If I have a mossback limping in

"Mossback", cool term /images/graemlins/smile.gif.

BTW, I play KQs preflop the same way you described, JR.

[Nate tha' Great]

[ QUOTE ]
Hi Mike--
Interesting that you should write that, I'm feeling the same way. Most of the games I'm in (Party 2/4 & 3/6) end up going to showdown, so I rarely have the added (necessary?) value of winning the pot right there, maybe that's part of the problem?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll often bet/raise with a flopped four-flush, but almost never with four cards to a straight. Why?

1. Straights are beaten by flushes;
2. Straights can be dominated by other straights;
3. Straights often have to split the pot;
4. Flushes have one more out;
5. Players, for whatever reason, tend to be more mindful of flush draws than they are of straight draws. If, say, your four flush becomes a five flush on the turn and you hadn't bet it until then, it's rare that you're going to get a lot of action from there on out. There's value in disguising it by betting it early.

On the other hand, when a straight draw is completed, *especially* if the straight draw involves two hole cards, *especially* two non-consecutive hole cards, people are less likely to put you on it and may bet into you more aggressively with their TPTK, two-pair, whatever.

...all of these considerations, taken by themselves, are marginal, but when combined I think they provide sufficient reason to play flush and straight draws differently.

[Rushmore]

One big consideration when it comes to betting your straight/flush draws on the flop seems to get overlooked:

Do you have overcards?

These 6 potential extra outs are very significant in making this decision.

With K/Qs, this is not as much of an issue, as any open-ended straight draw you hold infers overcards. But if you hold 9/T, and the flop comes 2/J/Q, your situation probably doesn't warrant betting out against most players, IMO.

[huzitup2]

This is a LITTLE bit like the question of whether to raise AK/off from the BB into a large field.

If your opponents are "reasonable" (or even good) players I don't believe it should be done - the reasons are better stated elsewhere, but they should be obvious.

When you are playing against "stone cold uneducated morons" (SCUMs :-), it's hard NOT to raise; you are NOT tying them onto the pot by making it larger; they will keep coming regardless of the size of the pot so, what the hell, why not get as much money as possible into the pot with what is almost always a +ev hand/situation ?

*

I hope that was of some help.

Best wishes,

- H