How To Push Flush Draws Out In Texas Hold Em

The game of Poker, especially Texas Hold Em, is a very difficult game to say the least. There are so many ways of getting beat, even when you're a favorite going to the flop. But some of those ways can be prevented, at least in most poker games. I'm referring to getting beat with a flush when your pocket A's were the best hand even after the flop. But how can we do that?

First of all, flush draws seem to be evident on about every other hand, or at least every third. Its one of the easiest draws that any poker player immediately sees when he has it. For instance, an inside straight draw is sometimes overlooked, even by professionals because you have to actually analyze the numbers, not the colors. But flush draws are spotted by even the newest players simply because of the colors. Because of this, you have to protect your hand when you suspect someone is on a flush draws.

So how do you get these guys off of their flush draws? Simple. Don't give them the odds to call. This means you have to raise pre-flop, and after the flop if you suspect your opponent is on a flush draw. One of the easiest ways to determine if someone is chasing a flush draw is to analyze the flop and watch how your opponent bets when you raise (after the flop). First, if there are two cards of the same suit on the flop, and there are more then two players in the hand (not including yourself), someone is probably on a flush draw. Secondly, when you raise (and you MUST raise), watch how the person calls. If there is an immediate call, pretty much without delay or hesitation, they are probably on a flush draw. The reason this is "usually" true is because, when a person has two diamonds in their hand and the flop has two diamonds, there is no thinking needed. Its obvious; you need a diamond to make your flush. If the person didn't have two diamonds, and say had top pair or some type of straight draw, they would have to look at the board for a moment and analyze it to see if it merits a call, thus delaying their decision. This is why professionals usually wait a moment before every bet or check. They don't want to give away any tells at all.

So how much do you bet to get a person off of their flush draw in poker? Well, first understand that when someone has a flush draw after the flop, they have roughly a 36% chance of making their hand by the river. This is because there are 9 more diamonds in the deck (assuming its a diamond draw). Although there are a few ways of determining this percentage, I personally like Phil Gorden's 4-2 method. It works like this: Determine your outs, and simply multiply it by 4 for the turn card. After the turn, determine your outs again, and multiply it by 2. So, if you have 9 outs before the turn, take 9 x 4, and you'll get 36, or a 36% chance. After the turn, if you don't hit your flush, take 9 x 2, and you get an 18% chance of catching a diamond (note: These percentages aren't 100% accurate, but they're so close that I prefer this method to make quick decisions at the table.

So, getting back to your bet. If you believe they are on a flush draw after the flop, then you must remove their odds to call. In essence, you're forcing them to have to call a bet that is "more" then 36%. So lets say the pot contains $100 before you bet, and its just you and them. If you only bet $50 (bringing the pot to $150), of course all he has to call is $50 to win $150. That means he's getting 3 to 1 odds (3 for $150 compared to his 1 $50), which means he only has to bet 33% of the pot. And because he has a 36% chance of catching his card, he is correct in calling. The theory is the same after the turn. If he misses the turn, he now has an 18% chance of catching it. You have to force him to bet more then 18% of the pot after the turn. Now whether he calls or not is a different story. Mathematically he's making a mistake when makes these calls when you've eliminated his odds. And in the long run, and over several hands, he will lose and you will win.

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