Straight vs. Flush Draw
Few things are more disconcerting to a online poker player with two pair at the casino than seeing a flush or straight draw on the board. For that matter, few things are worse than having a straight and seeing a flush draw on the board.
I was playing poker a while ago when I drew an Ace-5 straight on the turn. The problem was, card that gave me the straight was the fourth club on the table. Needless to say, I didn’t have the fifth. There was only one other guy left in the hand with me, and I was the first to act. Time for a quick decision-do I check and hope that he doesn’t have the flush and checks as well, or do I bet and act like I drew the higher flush?
I decided to place a feeler bet out there and if he re-raised, I would (not so) gracefully bow out of the hand. I quickly raised him about half my stack, putting him all in…and let out a mental breath of air when he folded, turning over a low flush and asking me which high card I had. I told him I had the Ace. I left out that it was a heart.
