Online Poker Forum - When is the chase of a straight/flush draw not justified?

SnareStyle10 · High Card Joined: 06 Nov 2009 Posts: 3

Before I start, just to get my opinion out there...I feel like a straight should be higher than a flush since I see so many more flushes on the tables

But to stay on point

When there is a flush/straight draw on the flop, I always feel the need to chase it. If I don't hit it on 4th street, I'll fold it unless I paired something. That seems to be the tendency for everyone though.

When do you know when the chase isn't worth it?

Gypsydc · Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 4:29 am Post subject:

This is a very general reply but if you're not getting about 5.2 to 1 on your money it's not worth the chase and infinitely you'll lose money.

One disclaimer to that is implied odds which is what you can expect to win if you make your hand considering the board doesn't pair or something. If you're up against some miniscule stack HU for example, you're definitely not getting the right price to be chasing because his or her stack isn't going to pay you off enough. Implied odds come more into play in multi-way pots. Just google 'poker implied odds' and you can read all about it.

Also there are times, more times than not (considering we're talking HE) in a tournament where you have too much equity in the prize pool and chasing isn't giving you the right price period.

See...people who chase are how other people typically make money. Ultimately chasers are gamblers who are just so excited about the notion of seeing their flush or straight come through that they abandon rational thought. People who understand when and why they should chase are profiting poker players. Read up on some books such as, "Theory of Poker" by Sklansky or "Sit 'n Go Strategy" by Moshman.

And...quit chasing from now on until A: You understand more and B: You're at least getting better than 5.2 to 1 on your money...which probably won't happen.

tracysanders · Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 4:34 am Post subject:

edie- deleted because Gypsy's post was way much better

although I will add that your own stack (especially in tournaments) has to be big enough to justify the chase. I don't really know what the magic number should be, but you have to be deep enough to not hit and still be in a good enough chip position to be able to play reasonably well vs the other effective stacks.

cannonwillow · Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 5:33 am Post subject:

are you getting the right price to call on the flop to see one more card. if you dont hit it on the turn the price will probably be way to high to see the river. If you think you are getting the right price to call the flop because you have so many outs twice you are mistaken because if you dont hit the turn you will more than likely not getting proper pot odds to call the river.

If out of position with a good draw from the flop, you may as well bet as if you have top pair top kicker. A good draw is for possible nuts. If he calls he is probably also on a draw. If he raises he probably has what you are trying to represent - you should probably fold in this case. If he folds...well you win. OK so now the turn comes and hopefully the board does not pair, or give you the low end of a open end straight board. that means he called on the flop. Now you check. if he bets you raise, either you caught your draw or you are hoping to catch him at semi-bluffing (traping or representing traping). If he had top pair you think he would have protected it against a draw heavy board even if he had trips. You can save a lot by betting early instead of calling late. By the way, if he reraises on the turn he probably got really lucky and you have to pay him off, but you should still have outs.

If you get to act last...you need to figure if you will get paid off if you do hit the turn. calling a bet probably means you have decent outs, and your opponent knows this. if you have a disguised open ended straight draw on a rainbow board you are getting great implied odds. If you have the ace high flush draw on the flop, with ace in hand, and hit, you probably wont get paid off enough to make calling worth it (flop 3 flushed)

cannonwillow · Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 5:58 am Post subject:

I am nowhere like the 2 that posted before me, but I am trying

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