if he is pushing a lot with his sets and flush and straight draws you will get [censored] if you are calling with single pair hands. like someone said above, you are either slightly ahead or drawing dead. If you call with your own draws, you will be able to win if neither of you hit, if he's on the straight draw or flush draw with your ace, and you will be drawing to beat his set if he does in fact have the set. so yes that is what i meant. this wasn't thought up by myself though, it comes from a few different strategy books. there is another thread on this talking about a brief section in phil gordons book where he talks about this strategy. on the 7c 8c x board, the idea is that he would push with a set, two clubs that are overcards to the board, the 9c 10c, the 5c 6c, 9 10 off suit, 5 6 offsuit. if you were to call each time with a single pair you would be in bad shape overall. but if you were to call with the nut flush draw and the 9 10 off or suited, you would be in great shape. you would be ahead every time except for the set, and you would be drawing to beat the set when he had it.