[Doug]

You're playing online NL hold'em and just sat down, so you don't have any perceptions of the other players. The board winds up a Broadway straight ( 10- Ace), with 3 hearts. You're left with one oponent, and must act first. You didn't make a flush. You expect to split pot. Lets say pot is about $100, you have $100 left, opponent has $200.

What do you do ? If you check, your opponent can fire $100 trying to steal the pot. If you bet $100, you can try to steal pot, but may walk into a flush or even the nut flush ! Maybe you bet $50, it might prevent him from raising but it's probably not going to get him to fold.


How about if you had a weaker flush ( maybe 10,9 ? ) that you played from the blinds. What about the nut flush ( I'd just bet the $100).

A lot of this strategy depends on your knowledge of the other players under more normal circumstances, but you really know nothing about the players yet in this game. You're only knowledge is how they bet in this hand.

I'm thinking checking isn't good, may as well try to steal.

With the nuts, I'd be afraid to try and trap the guy with a check, because he may not raise. That assumes he'd fold to a big bet. He'd almost have to call a bet under $50 ( ?). Tough hand to play with this NL ( I'm new at NL). A limit game is just about automatic, very different animal without a limit !

So what do you do ? Would you rather act 1st or 2nd ? I think acting first is better.

How quickly you decide seems important too. An instant bet may induce a fold, perhaps. How about waiting until last second ( if you have the nuts), would this make it look like a bluff ?

It's a very different game when you can't see the enemy !

[Terris]

i would bet 50, chances of a flush aint that high (iam a poker noob thou lol). I dont think anyone would fold here, no matter what you bet

[Doug]

Yes, logically chances of flush aren't great, however odds improve as players are more likely to stay with suited cards. I agree it's a tough lay-down !

[SBR_John]

I dont think it really matters because you dont have enough bankroll to A) bluff or B)get bluffed. I would check or make a small wager and I would call any bet up to my bankroll.

You have a good plan to go all in but I dont like it, its too obvious. When you bluff you want people to fold not call and they will call this bet everytime.

[Doug]

Thanks John, This hand happenned to me yesterday. The game was bigger than I really wanted, it was 1/2 NL. I checked, the guy put me all in, I called, split pot. I was curious if I erred by checking. It still seems like the all-in ploy could work against some players. Good point about not having enough to bluff, though !