So I was at an Atlantic City poker room last week playing $1-$2 NL. Effective stack was my opponent (to my immediate right) for about $250 give or take. He was a tight player who hadn't played many hands up to that point. He opens to 15 (standard open was around 10-12). I call with JThh. Flop comes 3 undercards with 2 hearts (something like 952 with 2 hearts). He checks and I bet $20, he calls. Turn is an offsuit 8 (giving me an open ender to go with my flush draw). I bet $40, he calls. River is the 7 of hearts, giving me a J-high flush. He checks. I bet $88, and he goes all-in for only about another $80 or $90.

I was thinking he probably had the A high flush because he was a tight player who raised to $15 pre instead of the standard $10-$12 (meaning big aces are in his range), and I didn't think he would go all-in with anything but the nuts. However, I thought a J-high flush was simply too good a hand to fold given the pot odds (already close to $400 in the pot, only another $80 or $90 to call). Is it okay to fold here?

Not ok to fold. You have to call

fold pre... a tight guy opens from im assuming EP 7.5x and we're cold-calling w/ J high?

i honestly dont know what you beat but at the same time you're getting insane odds. hate either option.

It’s important to know what position the opponent opened from. Generally, the earlier position, the stronger his/her range is.

If he is opening from early/mid, fold pre-flop since your implied odds are limited ($250/$15).

If he has an over pair, I’d expect him to protect by leading at some point during the hand. As played, probably calling but not liking it.

So I should fold JT suited pre-flop in position (against the guy who raised) and with the possibility of other people calling behind?

Could you perhaps elaborate more on actual positions and reads. At this point you have to call even though he has us beat.

Now that you are here, you kind of have to call.

Please read sticky on how to format future hands so they are easier to follow and have post size on each street.

fold pre.

AP snap call.

Snap call, and then try to figure out if you're buying a beer to celebrate or buying a beer to drown your sorrows.

Snap call. Why would you bet $88 on the river in position, after a check, and not know what to do if he check raises you $90 dollars with a $400ish pot?

Not always, but with an effective stack of 125BBs and a 7.5x open, you're not going to have a good SPR post-flop. If there are callers in front of you, then calling is fine; but as the next player to act, I'd fold this pre-flop. You shouldn't be making a losing call that may or may not be redeemed by actions of players behind you.

As played though, 100% call on the river. I don't see villain holding the nut flush here at all. That would require him to have opened with a big suited ace (I'm assuming he's not opening to 7.5x with less than AQ) and then not cbet his nut flush draw with 2 overcards. If he's playing that nonsense, don't even try to hand read, just call it off with your flush. You need to be good less than 20% of the time.

I don't think checking some Axhh is nonsense. I'd check 1-3 combos, namely the bigger ones that have more SDV and can induce bluffs from weaker/low-equity hands, or more depending on V's tendencies.

I’m not thrilled but I call.

Yea if we never check flush draws, mostly against good/observant opponents, then what happens when we check flop and the turn comes another heart? A good strategy is to often bet our lower flush draws and then check call or check raise some bigger flush draws like AJ-AK.

In practice I’m usually just betting but against some villain types and/or in a game filled with regs I’ll have some checks with hearts in V’s spot.

yes

those people behind also could 3-bet

easy fold pre


OOOOGH AAAGHHHH
SUITED CONNECTORS
ALL BRIGHT AND SHINY

you got what you wanted; a chance to punt off your stack so why the cold feet now?

A good basic principle is to have higher requirements for our calling ranges the earlier position we are in.

Another is to call a raise with only about half as many hands we might otherwise raise ourselves if the Villains in front of us limp in.

To me, JTs does not satisfy either basic principle.