flopped a flush with mid suited connectors in NL .. what to do?

[goodFlop]

(not sure if this should be posted in small stakes forum or here)

I was recently in Atlantic City at the Taj playing NLHE 1/2 blinds ($300 max). The table was loose and there was a lot of money on the table with some large stacks. I was nursing a small stack of about $150.

In a limped pot with about 6 players, I was holding 78 of clubs in mid position and saw a flop of Q56 all clubs. First person ($1000 stack: on a side note: known to be aggressive, pot stealing) opened for 25. Second player ($500 stack, fairly solid) cold calls. $62 in the pot, and it's on me.

I am fairly sure I have the best hand right now, with the two players in front of me on a flush draw (a high flush draw that could beat mine), rather than a better made flush. If that assumption was correct, then there are 3+2+1+1=7 clubs out of the deck, and with my open-ended straight flush, those players are drawing to 3 outs (again I'm assuming one is holding for example the A of clubs, another the K or J of clubs ... and the 4 and 9 of clubs I'm assuming is still in the deck ... yes quite a lot of assumptions). The possibility of some one slow playing the nut flush was small.

I have three options:

a) cold call $25, hoping to build a pot with 3 limpers behind me
b) make a moderate raise of half the pot (so after calling $25 into $62 pot, raise another $45)
c) win the pot right there with a large raise of say $100.

Option a) would appear to be STUPID given my assumption as other limpers most likely didn't not have a flush draw and hence I'm giving the two in front of me a free draw, unless I think the play could cause the aggressive player in front of me to continue to bluff (this is fairly possible, though he more likely bluffs in position).

The decision between options b & c depends a lot on my assumption as well as my stack size. Let's SUPPOSE for now that the assumptions I described above were correct.

In option b, I'm laying about 3-1 pot odds to the 2 in front of me, which would be bad if I didn't have the open-eneded straight flush, but with my holding is a bad price for them. I'm most likely not go to pay off if one of the three outers hit my opponents. The implied odds would be great if I get a straight flush if I had a large stack ($300-400 say). Option b would therefore appear to be the play if I had a deeper stack.

With my small stack, option c is the safe play. However, I could take the small risk of the three outers, and get slightly more money with option b, assuming at least one chaser.


What would you do, with a small stack like mine, and what about a larger stack? (note: I have not factored in my table image into these decisions) Also, with option b or c, what would be the size of your raise.

[maranello11]

I would just smooth call and put it in on the turn as long as no club hits. Thats it, easy play. If you make a small or large re-raise most players will put you on a small flush. You may get one caller, take a chance with the club hitting.