pre: hero w/ 54cc on BtN
4 limpers, hero calls

hadn't played a hand in several orbits

flop,7p,7sb: 3d7h9c
checks, hero bets, 3 call

gutshot

turn,4p,5bb: Kc
checks, hero checks

and now flush draw

river,4p,5bb: 6c
bb bets, folds, hero calls

baby flush

Bad not to raise here?

Looks great up to the river. Definitely raise/call.

Yeah. I like the turn check and flop bet but I raise this river for sure.

shouldn't we just take the free card on the flop? I understand that sometimes our flop bet will get us two cards, as here, but we are 7 ways w/ a gutshot and 5-high.

as played, I agree w/ raise riv, your hand is underrepped and disguised.

I'm with you. I check behind this flop. The free card is worth something, but our equity isn't likely sufficient to justify the cost (without a good read about fold equity). And we're gonna hate life if we get x/r'd.

And like everyone else, I'm raise-calling this river every day and twice on Sunday without a SPECIFIC read that villain doesn't bet anything short of a flush here.

i would check the flop. definitely raise the river

i don't see any value in a bet on the flop. i do see a lot of value in a raise on the river.

the player betting into you has plenty of straights, Kx, and random two pairs in his range that he'll pay off a raise with, and sometimes even 3-bet with (10-8 especially). The backdoor flush is concealed. gotta raise the river.

lawdude's point about getting c/r'd on the flop is a good one, though i see no clear reason to suspect that will happened in an unraised pot on rag flop. does the free card play often work in this game? you're on the button so your opponents aren't going to be too scared of you. but i don't think it's a bad spot to bet the flop.

I like flop betting to get the free turn. Raise/call river.

In this game the (lol) free card play is most often used by pre-flop raisers w/ two overcards.

In a limped pot like this the button will sometimes bet w/ nothing to get some people to fold, so there is some danger of c/r, esp from the blinds.

Grunch

Not enuf equity to bet the flop so check it. Note that the BACKDOOR flush came in otr. So as played raise the river.