[Orpheus]

With all due respect: yes, you'd "see" the A-flush laydown if one of those things happened, but you said you've never seen them happen, so we're talking the realm of imagination here.

I've laid down an A-flush to an SF, haven't you? Sometimes a given villain re-raises a certain way, and you know you're beat. Would you then tell the table your read and that you are capable of laying down an A-flush?

Maybe there's a metagame reason to declare, but I consider that info too valuable. I don't want to encourage sharp players to represent straight flushes, trying to bluff me out of my nuts. Those decisions can be tough enough. I don't want more of them: I might start dismissing possible SFs more, and plausible representations of a SF tend to be delicate calls for potentially huge pots. At least for me

It's not always obvious from the betting, either. The last time I laid down an A-fl, I was acting after a big raise and re-raise, knew I was beat, and laid down quickly. Neither opponent knew I was laying down a suited ace, instead of a suited king or queen, or a missed flop.

I completely agree: it's rare that an A-flush is laid down, and that's money in your pocket when you have a SF -- but I think anyone who *can* lay it down probably won't advertise it, and a failed semibluff or K-fl (surely you've "seen" THOSE happen) can fold exactly the same way as an A-fl, unless the position and personalities line up in a way that makes it obvious -- and those situations are a fraction of your already rare SFs (Well, *I* don't get them nearly often enough. I dunno about you.)

How do I know I'm not folding too much? Easy: even most players who won't declare an A-fl fold will show a SF!