The Bluff Gone Wrong

You’re in a $1/$2 No-Limit Hold'em game, and you’re holding 7♠ 8♠ on the button. You’ve been playing tight, and the table has been calling you out as a conservative player. The player in the big blind has been playing very aggressively and raises to $12. You decide to call with the suited connectors, hoping for a good flop.

Flop: 9♠ 10♦ Q♣
You have the straight, but the board is very draw-heavy, with potential flush and straight draws. The big blind bets $20. Do you slow-play, raise, or fold?

Turn: 5♠ (you now have the flush)
The big blind bets $50. How do you proceed? Do you raise big or just call to keep the pot small?

River: 3♠ (you now have the full flush, but the board is very connected)
The big blind bets $150. Do you raise all-in or just call? What’s your strategy with the flush on this dangerous board?

This is a great spot to analyze, as you have a powerful hand, but there are some tricky aspects to the board and your opponent’s tendencies. Let’s break it down step-by-step:

Flop: 9♠ 10♦ Q♣

You have the straight (7♠ 8♠), but the board is very draw-heavy with a potential flush draw (two spades on the board) and a straight draw (the board could complete a straight with a Jack). The aggressive big blind bets $20 into a $26 pot, which is a fairly standard continuation bet on a board that hits many hands.

What to do?

Call: This is likely the best option here. Your straight is strong, but you're vulnerable to a higher straight (if a Jack comes), a flush, or even two pair. Since you're in position on the button, you can control the size of the pot by just calling, especially with the potential of hitting a flush on the turn.

Raise: Raising here is risky, as it could build the pot too much when you still have a vulnerable hand. You might get called by worse hands, but you’re also setting yourself up for a bigger pot when you're not yet fully committed to the hand.

Fold: Folding here is not an option unless you have serious concerns about the opponent’s betting range, but that's rare with suited connectors in this spot.

So, calling is the best move to keep the pot manageable while you see how the hand develops on the turn.

Turn: 5♠

Now, you've hit the flush with the 5♠, but the board is still quite connected (potential straight and flushes). The big blind bets $50 into a $66 pot, which is a large bet.

What to do?

Call: At this point, your flush is very strong, but it’s still important to be cautious. Your opponent could have a straight or be drawing to a higher flush. Calling allows you to see how they act on the river without overcommitting.

Raise: You could raise here to build the pot and protect against potential draws, but raising too much could scare your opponent off if they’re holding a weaker hand. A moderate raise to around $120 might be appropriate to protect your hand while keeping your opponent in the pot, but it can be a tricky decision.

Fold: Folding is too weak at this point. Your hand is very strong, and unless you’re up against a very specific range of hands, folding is not necessary.

I would recommend calling here. The pot is growing, and you don’t want to scare your opponent away unless they’re really aggressive. Also, you’re still vulnerable to a higher flush or a full house if the board pairs on the river.

River: 3♠

You've now made the full flush, which is a very strong hand. However, the board is extremely connected, with the potential for a straight or full house. The big blind bets $150 into a $266 pot, which is a very large bet.

What to do?

Call: This is the safest and likely best option. While your flush is very strong, the aggressive big blind may be betting here with a full house, and raising could be too risky given how connected the board is. You don’t want to get raised off your hand by a bigger flush or a full house, so calling keeps you in control of the pot and minimizes risk.

Raise All-In: Raising all-in here could be a good move if you think your opponent will call with a worse hand, but it could also backfire if they have a full house or the straight flush. The danger of overplaying your hand in a connected board like this is high, so calling is likely safer.

Strategy Overview:

Flop: Call — You're in position, and your straight is strong but vulnerable to a lot of draws.

Turn: Call — You’ve hit a flush, but the board is still connected. A raise could protect your hand, but calling is a safer option to control the pot size.

River: Call — You’ve made the full flush, but the board is highly connected. Raising all-in could be risky, so just calling to keep the pot manageable is probably the best play here.

By just calling, you give yourself the opportunity to extract value from your opponent without overcommitting, especially on such a dangerous board.