Straight draws are very deceptive and sometimes difficult to read. Whenever there are three sequenced cards or two cards with a gap of three or less, there is a potential for a straight. In fact, all flops that don’t contain a pair can make a straight with the fourth card except for: K-8-3, K-8-2, K-7-2, and Q-7-2

Many players will play starting hands that have connectors suited or unsuited, or two cards with a single gap. If you see three cards in sequence and there is action you should be thinking straight. If you hold connectors at the low end of the sequence and make a straight, you may be in for a big loss if someone holds the connectors for the higher end.

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Sometimes it may be to your advantage to raise even if your hand is not the nuts. Some players will bet on the river when they are playing overcards or have missed their draw. If you suspect that a player may be bluffing and you act right after them, a raise may drive out any players after you and narrow the field putting you heads up against the original bettor. For this to work, you have to know the other players and be certain that your hand can win heads up against the original bettor. In most cases you will only raise on the river when you are certain that you have the winning hand.

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Anytime you bet a strong hand you are betting for value to get more money in the pot. In most situations when you are first to act on the river, you should bet any hand that has a possibility of winning. Some times a bet will drive out other players who might be holding a hand that is better than yours. The other reason to initiate the betting with a marginal hand is to force out any player who may have been on a draw and missed. If you check, you are opening the door for a player who would have folded to bluff on the end.

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If you have the nut hand, your only concern is how to get the most money in the pot. This will depend on the number of opponents still active in the hand as well as your position. If you are first to act in a multiway pot and there is another player who has been the aggressor, you may be able to try for a check raise if you are certain that they will bet. If you are uncertain that another player will bet or are heads up against a single player then you should always bet.

If you are not first to act and there is a bet in front of you and more players to act after you, then it will usually be correct to just call. If you were to raise in this situation you may force out the other players in the hand who have yet to act. By just calling there is a better chance of them calling as well. If you are last to act, and everyone has checked to you, then obviously you would bet and hope the pot is big enough to justify your opponents making a call.

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If you have two pairs or better and think you have the best hand then you should raise. This will get more money in the pot and hopefully narrow the field for you. If you only have top pair and a player bets into you, that usually means he is not afraid of top pair. You should not raise in this situation. It is better to just call and see what the river card brings.

Scare Cards
Any time the board pairs, or there is a third suited card on the turn, you need to re-evaluate your hand. If you held the best hand after the flop, it is possible that it got demoted with the turn card. If you made a straight on the flop but the turn brings a third suited card, you could be up against a flush. If you bet this hand and are raised you can be pretty sure that is the case. If the board pairs and there is action you might be looking at a full house. If there is a bet and raise before it is your turn to act, you will be able to get out of this hand cheaply. You may hate having to fold a straight, but it will be a lot more expensive to call the river with a hand that was beaten on the turn.

Make Your Choice
Most of the time when you call a bet or raise on the turn, you are committing yourself to betting on the river as well. With only one card to come it should be apparent how your hand stacks up against the board. Since the betting limits are double, a mistake on the turn will cost you more than one on the flop. Don't play wish hands or hands that you are drawing dead to. A winning player knows how to release a marginal hand and the turn is definitely the time to do it.

If you have been playing properly, you will not see the river card unless you have a strong hand that is a favorite to win or you have a draw to a winning hand. Once the river card is turned over you know exactly what you have. If you were drawing to a hand, you know whether you were successful or not. By reading the board, you can determine the strength of your hand and know how it compares to the nuts.

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Most of the time you will call a bet in front of you if you were planning to bet it anyway. This doesn't mean, however, that you will automatically call a raise. First you must consider who made the raise and what position that player is in. If a player raises on the turn from early position it usually means he has a strong hand. You should not call a raise with just one pair on the turn if there are many players in the hand. If the raise was made from late position, it could be a semi-bluff, but calling a raise with only a pair can be costly. If you have a drawing hand you should be certain you are drawing to the nuts, or close to it, if you are calling a raise.

Here is a money saving tip. Don't call a bet on the turn with just two overcards. In the long run you will lose more than you will win, even if you pair one of your cards on the river. If there are several players in the hand, you are probably drawing dead trying to make a high pair. Drawing dead means you are drawing to a hand that you can't win even if you make it.

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One situation that occurs fairly often in tight games is that everyone will check the flop. If they do not make a hand they will then check again on the turn. This presents a good opportunity for you to semi-luff. In many instances players are just looking for a reason to fold and you may win the hand right then and there.

If I am holding a four flush with an Ace or King in late position, I will bet this hand. Another opportunity to semi-bluff presents itself when you hold the Ace and there are two matching suited cards on the flop, giving you a three flush. If a third suit appears on the turn you can raise. No one will know that you do not have a flush and you may win the pot right there. If not, you still have 19.6 percent chance of making the nut flush on the river.

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