[nomadtla]

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so I'm gonna be here for a bit asking for some help if y'all don't mind.

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That's why we're all here so no we don't mind.

A lot of the SSH concepts take some time and a lot of experience to get so don't feel bad poker is not an easy game to master. And the concept you are talking about in particular is offten missaplied.

In the example you gave it's no thought to me you have to raise. Flush and straight draws are gonna come along anyways and the pot is to big for waiting for the turn to help you. Get as much in now while everyone else is still drawing against your nut hand.

The way I understand it (and hopefully someone better then me will come along and clarify or come along and correct me) there are 2 main situations where waiting for the turn helps.

When theres a big pot and you probably have the best hand but half the deck can kill you on the turn. Like the example on page 187 where you probably have the best hand but there are a lot of outs that beat you. It is better to wait for a safe turn card, then your opponents may still have outs but they only have one card to catch those outs with so your equity has increased.

The other time, which is more confusing and I think what you were wondering here. Is when you have a stronger hand and the pot is big. You must first understand that flush draws and stright draws will allways call. Your waiting for the turn might have caused an inside straight to fold on the turn. The thing is you have so much equity with top set that you are lossing value by not raising this flop. You want to do this in situations where you have less equity on the flop so giving it up isn't as costly. Even if the flush card comes on the turn you have a ton of outs to boat up. Sometimes (esspescially with sets) you just have to grit your teeth and ride it out. It sucks when you get beat but at this point you want to raise to make that pot big for the times (and they will be offten with top set) that you come out of the fray with the best hand.

I feel my explination is confusing but like I said this is a tough concept to grasp.

As far as your question about being able to do the math in a split second to make this decission. I don't think it's as much math as experience. Eventually it will just click. Don't try and overaply concepts, play your game. Post here and more importantly respond to posts here. Listen to the good posters (and there are many *I am not one of them) and eventually you'll get it.

I hope this helps. It was as much for me trying to learn by explaining it as it was to try and help you. Welcome to the forums and I hope one day you'll respond to a post like this one from a new guy and be able to say "I didn't get this at first either but here's how it works"