I played in an online ring game for the first time in what seems like an eternity. I still don't like it much but the games are soft enough that I may get back into it regularly.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $4 BB (9 handed)

saw flop|saw showdown

UTG+1 ($414)
MP1 ($139)
MP2 ($311.55)
Hero ($434.25)
CO ($383.80)
Button ($110.30)
SB ($67.25)
BB ($116.20)
UTG ($516.60)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with , .
UTG calls $4, UTG+1 folds, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, Hero calls $4, CO folds, Button folds, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: ($16) , , (4 players)
SB checks, BB bets $14, UTG raises to $28, Hero calls $28, SB folds, BB calls $14.

Turn: ($100) (3 players)
BB checks, UTG bets $52, Hero raises to $140, BB folds, UTG raises to $252, Hero raises to $402.25, UTG calls $150.25.

River: ($904.50) (2 players)

Final Pot: $904.50


EDIT: For those of you that play this game on Stars the opponent was preposterous. He seems to be a regular and was quite laggy from what I could tell. I know you used to play in this game iceman, did you ever play with him?

I was *this* close to folding the turn. I wasn't confident in my 10-high flush at all, to be honest, and I still had like $260 behind me if I folded. So why did I choose to push? Well, first of all, when I called the flop bet and raise, I decided that a spade or 8 would be good. If I didn't think my spades were good, then I wouldn't have called the flop bet. It looked like BB flopped two pair of some kind and UTG flopped a set, from the flop play. Also, basically I was putting in 260 to win 640. That's almost 2.5 to 1 on what is essentially a call, since I cannot imagine him (or her) folding to the last 150. That means if I win 50% of the time, which I thought I could, then it would be +EV. However, at one point I was so close to folding because I really didn't think he could re-raise me without at least the , and it would easily be possible for him to have him semi-bluffing with the nut flush draw on the flop. A set seemed more likely, but still, I couldn't be sure.

Anyway, would a laydown to his re-raise be out of the question here? Also, is the amount of my initial raise seem right? He bet $52, and I raised to $140, figuring I could get the rest in on the river if a non-spade fell. Maybe I should have raised more to avoid putting myself in such a tough situation.

I dont think you need to raise more. I dont think he believed you had the flush.
I cant remember the last time I saw someone raise with a flush draw with people still yet to act behind them, so I doubt he has a higher flush.

So what happened?

Oh yeah. Almost forgot to give results. He had [4d] for the flopped straight. I guess he didn't give me credit for the flush when I raised him. Anyway, good to get all my money in as a 100% favorite .

Its much harder to do with a reraise and a reraise in front on you but in position here I would have raised if the 2nd player had just called. It would have made it much harder for someone to put you on a flush draw and it would have most likely gotten you a free card on the turn if you missed on the turn.

Rhound that is exactly what I was thinking. But I didn't want to fold to the min raise because I had the 3 additional 8 outs and I thought my flush was definately good if it came. Although I almost talked myself out of it being the best hand when he re-raised the turn...

After thinking about it, you definatly made the rigjht play to not reraise for the free card. With a bet and a reraise, you are shooting yourself in the foot. You are most likely going to be facing an all in bet and now you get to decide if your draw is worth calling an all-in and the answer is almost always no.