In trying to improve my game, I've come to admit that I don't play SCs well. Granted I play 6-max so pot odds are down, but I'm looking to improve. My problem seems to be when I finally hit my flush, etc. I am regularly beaten by a higher flush/str8.

What are your strategies for playing SCs? Would you call a X4BB raise with a SC and say only 1 other caller?

Does raising with SC's X4BB make sense (i.e., you lose most of the time, your cost is now higher with the raise, but is it offset by the big pot you take occasionally)? Do you bet 1/2 the pot on your draw to disguise your hand or no?

What do you do when you can tell that you are on a flush draw with someone else and you have 4,5s (i.e,. if you make your draw you are probably low)?

Tim

I would recommend that you start limping them and see how they play in unraised pots when you bluff or semi-bluff with them. I go thru periods of seeing good opportunity to raise them but mostly see bad ones. I do like calling a raise with them most of the time.

When you are more comfortable with limping and seeing opportunity, try to create opportunity when there is one limper to you or when opening in mid-position, I raise it like I raise AA. It helps if the limper is loose or tight passive preflop at tight passive postflop. Either of those guys are likely to call with what they limped with and you can make up your mind on the flop whether or not to continue to pound with 3/4 pot sized bet, take a free card, or fold to a bet or raise. I don't bother raising it if there are calling stations or maniacs at the table, I'm going to get called or raised anyways.

The main goal is to raise tight players, and win with a continuation bet post flop and give up to heat with out a solid holding. The idea is that they will fold small pairs that didn't set. This does not work as good against loose players and calling stations. I think having a tight image makes occassional plays like this the most profitable.

You will get over flushed some, that is the nature of the beast. I lost a massive one last night with my whooping 9 high flush to QT, if you are playing in a generally loose and aggressive game there is little way to avoid it. In tighter games I give up easier if I get heat on a flush.

I don't get over straighted much, although last night there was a brutal one that came out of nowhere from a maniac with a gutshot vs my top pair and a gutshot The key is looking to see where your real nut cards are. Figuring out what kind of one pair hand with a draw can screw up your nut hand, determining if they have that when you do hit. If you hold the suckers end, that you think is likely good, you shouldn't be pumping the pot but keeping it reasonable, if you are pretty sure your suckers end is beat you have to muck it.

The tricky part with the suckers end for me is like this i hold 67 board is 89T, JQ owns me and JT has outs KQ might take one off the top and 99 TT 9T 89 is going to play almost as fast as JQ. The hand is probably good now but can't take too much heat, playing six max even if you raised all those hands are likely to call. I like to bet full pot on the flop, see if anyone sticks around and determine what to do next when I've seen the turn. I don't wan't to get too deep but not give up free cards, so my likely bet is going to be 1/2 pot at the turn to 3/4, I may check the turn with the intention of calling a reasonable river bet if a rag comes off. It depends on the opponents, if they are chronic gutshot chases can't let go of top pair the more likely I am to bet big, if they appear semi-solid the more likely I am to bet weak, if they are solid I check. The river I will probably forego a value bet against more than one opponent, if two people called the turn you are probably in trouble, if I have position at the river I like to check, out of position I try to figure the "value/blocking" bet that will keep anything that isn't the nuts from raising me out, but I still don't like holding the suckers end of the straight. Of course if it got heat at any point beyond the flop, I'm considering a fold.

Playing in other people's raised pots is another pickle all together. It comes down to my read on that person, I might push with a draw depending on stack sizes and what I think they hold, I might opt to call and peek at the turn for the pot size with the intention of folding to a real bet. I may decide to call them all the way down as I figure if I pair either my cards they are likely to beat his overs and I have a flush/straight draw to go with that. I like playing it fast if given the opportunity either by iniative or position will lead.

Thanks for the heads up on SCs. I agree with what you said and generally play them that way too. Just a run of bad luck I guess.

TR

This is how to play SC Limp and call a raise out of position - flop the nuts and win a big pot.

Of course, you need to get lucky.

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ BB (10 handed)

UTG ($14.45)
UTG+1 ($6.15)
Hero ($26.05)
MP1 ($21.95)
MP2 ($11.05)
MP3 ($2.95)
CO ($44.3)
Button ($42.55)
SB ($30.8)
BB ($55.75)

Preflop: Hero is UTG+2 with , . SB posts a blind of $0.1.
UTG calls $0.25, 1 fold, Hero calls $0.25, MP1 calls $0.25, 2 folds, CO raises to $2, 2 folds, BB calls $1.75, UTG folds, Hero calls $1.75, MP1 folds.

Flop: ($6.60) , , (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $6, CO raises to $12, BB calls $12, Hero calls $18.05 (All-In), CO calls $12.05, BB calls $12.05.

Turn: ($78.75) (3 players, 1 all-in)
BB checks, CO calls $18.25 (All-In), BB calls $18.25.

River: ($115.25) (3 players, 2 all-in)

Final Pot: $115.25
Main Pot: $78.75, between Hero, CO and BB. > Pot won by Hero ($78.75).
Pot 2: $36.50, between CO and BB. > Pot won by BB ($36.50).

Results in white below:
BB has Ad Ah (one pair, aces).
Hero has 6c 5c (flush, eight high).
CO has Qd Qh (one pair, queens).
Outcome: Hero wins $78.75. BB wins $36.50.