54 suited

In a 10-20 game I'm in the cutoff with 54 of clubs. There are many callers ahead of me. I call and so does the button. Eight of us see the flop (which is atypical for this game, which has generally been moderately aggressive and only somewhat loose).


The flop comes

9c 3c 3s

giving me a flush draw. A middle position player (call him John) bets out, two players between him and me fold, I call, and the button raises. John and I both call, everyone else folds. (John is a decent, occasionally tricky, player; the guy on the button I have never seen before.)


The turn is another club; the board is now

9c 3c 3s 7c.

John checks, I bet, the button calls, and John folds.


The river is a red 4. I bet, the button calls, and he mucks when I show my small flush.


Did I play this hand well? I'm particularly wondering about the turn; should I have gone for a check-raise with my flush (and straight-flush draw) considering the button's raise on the flop?

Played it fine. He may check behind. You want charge people on the turn whether they're drawing dead or not. They don't know that. There are alot of hands your opponents still may call with but not bet.

Everything seems to have worked out well but, frankly, I would have mucked the hand early. After the flop you had a low flush draw playing eight-handed. Not only were you in a drawing position, there was a decent chance that you were drawing dead, since anybody holding two clubs has you beat and with the board paired there's some chance of a full house. With two raisers off the flop, I get out of there.


But then again, I wouldn't have won the pot like you did...

"neither a laggard nor a vanguard be..."(from memory so don't fry Sredni on the crucible of quotations).


This means to Sredni that you played just fine. Turn bet included. You would have been a laggard to fold your profitable draw, and a vanguard to overplay it. But for every answer there are new questions.


Sredni thinks we should usually listen to our fathers, unless he's a ghost, and your name is Hamlet.


Sredni Vashtar, who once was gently patted by Ophelia. A god's life is sometimes so trying. Sigh.


SV.

I think your bet is correct, as long as you think the button won't bet it for you (which would usually mean he doesn't have much). Most players with a 9 or 3 would bet to avoid giving a free card to a small club. Notice if the button will bet for you, you have a chance to squeeze John for 2 bets in 2 installments. I am a big fan of the installment plan, as most players won't forfeit the car after making the down payment.

I wouldn't check raise here. Too good a chance that the button was raising with a hand he won't bet the turn on when the flush comes down.

I would not normaly bet this hand unless I was in the cutoff or on the button and a lot of people were in the pot-- it's just too risky! You played position fine because this was your situation. I would never ever play this hand in early position! Now people won't know what to put you on, so make sure you play tight for a while as position dictates.