Flop Six
Three middle Connectors / Unsuited
The flop comes:
Situation 54
The blinds are $10-$25. You are sitting in late position with:
Before the flop, Tight Tom limped in for $25 and everyone folded. You raised to $100 the small blind folded and Reckless Ricky called from the big blind. Tom called the raise. The size of the pot is $310 before the flop.
The flop comes:
On the flop, Tom and Ricky check.
What will be your play?
Conclusion
This is not a good flop for A-K. It is dangerous because it is connected. You don't put Tight Tom on a big hand because if he had aces, kings, or queens, he would have re-raised before the flop. And you don't think he has a set. Why so?
Because this flop is not good for a set (with its possible straight draws) so Tom most likely would lead at the flop to prevent anybody from calling and possibly outdrawing him if he had flopped a set. There is no danger from Tom but you have to worry about Reckless Ricky. If he had anything at all made on the flop, he would have bet it.
Recommendation
You can bluff with $200 bet to try to steal the pot. If any of your rivals bets or raises you, you should fold. If any one of them calls keep checking unless you hit your pair.
Situation 55
The blinds are $10-$25. You are in the middle position with:
Before the flop, everybody passed to you and you brought it in for $100. You didn't raise three times the big blind instead you made a larger raise to prevent anybody from calling behind you with hands such as K-Q or even Q-T or a weak ace. Novice Noreen called, Tight Tom folded in the small blind and Action Arnold called in the big blind. Now the size of the pot is $310.
The flop comes:
Action Arnold bets $250. It is turn to act.
What will be your play?
Conclusion
As there are small cards on the flop, players like Action Arnold would think that the raiser has missed the flop and lead to it. What kinds of hands Arnold will be having? He could have flopped a pair, or a straight draw, or nothing. The chances that he flopped a straight are little because he could have checked if he hit the straight on the flop, hoping that you would bet it for him.
Novice Noreen could have any big-card hand such as A-K, A-Q, K-Q or maybe a pocket pair. Unless Noreen has flopped a set, your over pair probably are the best hand on the flop.
Recommendation
We suggest you to move all in against Arnold 's $250 bet. If you raise double his bet ($500) you will have only $400 left in a situation in which you are pot-logged to start with. If they do have a straight draw they will have to pay a lot to draw to it. You might as well put your rivals to put to the test on the flop and possibly pick up a $460 profit.
Situation 56
$10-$25 is the blinds. You are in the big blind with:
No one has raised the pot. Before the flop, Passive Peter and Solid Sammy limped into the pot and Authority Austen called in the small blind.
The flop is:
Austen raise to $100 from the small blind. You are next to act.
What will be your play?
Conclusion
This flop seems to be almost good for you. It is an open-end straight draw with an over card. The card which can make your jack-straight is a ten. This is good because if someone else has a nine and a ten comes off, you will bust them with jack straight.
There is a possibility that Solid Sammy would have limped with aces, kings, or some lower pair so as to set a trap to someone. The style of Sammy's play is difficult to guess whether he is slow-playing a big hand before the flop, or whether he is just trying to see a cheap flop. Passive Peter also could have any card. He is a calling station.
There is a possibility that Authority Austin could have a pair or even a pair with a straight draw a hand like 8-9, 9-9 and 5-5. He could have a 5-4 suited to make the low end of the straight on the flop. If that is correct, he would be most likely to bet on the flop than if he had 9-10 and flopped the nuts.
Recommendation
We suggest you to call $100 which was raised by Austin and just wait to see what the turn card comes.
Situation 57
You are in the middle position with:
Passive Peter limped in front of you before the flop. You call from the middle position and everybody folded. Authority Austin checked in the big blind. Before the flop the pot is $85.
The flop is
Both Austin and Peter checked to you on the flop.
What will be your play?
Conclusion
With this flop you can draw to the low end of the straight. If a nine comes on the turn, it will give you a 9-high straight and it might give a rival a 10-high straight. The only card which can give you satisfaction and the confidence of the best hand is a four and that you don't want to risk a lot of money betting the hand.
As everybody has limped before the flop, it is possible that someone must be having 10-9 and might be slow-playing their hand.
Recommendation
You should just check and wait to see the four on the turn card when no one has a higher straight or even better