Flush draws-the right way to play them.

Strategies for flush draws with a three-suited flop are much different than with a two suited flop. Strategies for two-suited flops can vary depending on other qualities of the flop. For example, the flop could also have a pair or connected cards. Flush draws raise in value when you add other elements to your hand such as straight draws, pairs, or overcards.
Let’s take a look at odds. Flush draws are just about 2 to 1 against improving by the river, but this could improve depending on the pair and straight possibilities of your hand. Add a gut-shot straight draw or an over-card and you are approximately 1.2 to 1 against improving. An open-ended straight and flush draw is .9 to 1. Add overcards to any of these and you have even better odds. As you can see, at worst, you are 2 to 1 against improving. This is even better when you add other elements to your hand.


Two-Suited

Let’s look first at flush draws when the flop is two-suited. When the flop is two suited, you are almost always getting sufficient odds to draw to the flush with these few exceptions:
• You are heads up in a small pot and don’t have a pair, and you are convinced your opponent has a pair higher than your two cards.
• There is a pair on the flop and a decent chance an opponent holds three of a kind. With a pair on the flop, it is much easier for someone to spike a full house to beat your flush; however, you can still draw out sometimes depending on the action and size of the pot.
• The action is so strong on the flop that your small flush draw could be drawing dead to a better flush draw. Be careful in getting into a betting war with a drawing hand that could be runner-up. The worse case scenario is when someone has a set and the other player has a nut flush draw with a top pair. These two players could be raising a lot and you would be stuck in the middle doing nothing but giving away your money. Play your draws, but be prepared to back off when the action gets too heavy on the flop. Flush draws are very strong. Even with the exceptions listed above, there may be times when drawing to the flush is still OK. For example, if the pot is large with several opponents, sometimes you can draw to the nut flush when there is a pair on the flop. Let’s look first at draws when there are three or more players in the hand. In these cases, you usually prefer to keep as many players in the hand as possible to help improve your odds: therefore, you should normally check when acting first, especially when there is a preflop raiser. You do not want to bet and then get raised immediately behind you, causing the other players to fold. If you were the preflop raiser, go ahead and bet out as usual. If some-one bets into you and there are still opponents to act behind you, normally just call to allow the other players to come in cheaply.


There is one exception in trying to keep as many opponents in the hand as possible with your flush draws. This occurs when there is a large pot and you have other elements to your hand that could help you win the pot. For example, if you have an ace overcard with a weak kicker and you believe a raise could get an opponent to fold a hand like Ax, you might raise to give yourself a better chance at winning a large pot. Generally, deciding whether to drive out players or keep them in the hand is a function of the size of the pot and how strong your secondary draws are.
If there are already several callers, raising is an option. Raising increases the size of the pot when you are getting good pot odds on the bet. If you are in late position, you also might be able to get a free card on the turn. Check-raising is an option when there are several callers in the hand, but you must act first on the turn thereby eliminating your chance at a free card. Check-raising in these situations is much better when you have other strong elements to your hand, such as a pair, two overcards, or a straight draw.


Against one or two opponents (and sometimes even three), it is possible to win the pot on a semi-bluff. Whenever you feel there is a chance to win the pot outright by betting or raising, you should usually do so. Advanced Concept; Whenever you have a strong drawing hand, you should bet or raise if you feel you have a decent chance to win the pot outright, especially against one or two opponents. Semi-bluffs with flush draws are very strong plays. You could win the pot immediately, and if you don’t, you still have a good chance at winning the pot on your draw; therefore, if you act first against one or two opponents, usually bet out if you feel you have some chance that your opponents will fold. Otherwise, usually it is better to just check and call. If someone bets and you feel there is some chance he is bluffing, semi-bluff raising can be correct. If you act last and no one has bet, you should almost always bet out. If both players have already bet, you must decide whether to raise or just call. Raising is an option if you could receive a free card. Otherwise, only raise when youhave other elements to your hand.

There are times when reraising with flush draws is correct. For example, a hand like Q♦ J♦ with a flop of T♣ 9♦ 5♦ gives you a super strong hand. You have a good flush draw for nine outs, an open-ended straight draw for an additional six outs, and finally a queen or jack may also give you the winner for an additional six outs. You will hit a straight or flush 54% of the time and an overcard an additional 24% of the time! Heads up you should almost always reraise with hands such as these.
Against several opponents, always reraise unless you prefer to just call rather than drive out opponents who might have to pay two bets. With small pots, you prefer there to be several opponents with some trashy hands in the pot, keep them hoping!