Semi-bluffing in multi-way pots
 

I've run into this a few times lately and haven't really handled it well. Any help is appreciated.

I'll give a hypothetical, but the general question is, in position, do you find it +EV to semi-bluff in multi-way pots?

For example, 180 runner, 150 left (still early), hero has avg chip stack, blinds at 50/100 and hero has 3000

4 players limp to you OTB and you call wihh 89[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
SB completes, BB checks and flop is
7[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

So you have middle pair, and a flush draw (with a gut straight flush draw).

SB bets 150 into a 600 pot and gets 3 callers to you.

It's early, but you have a biggy...what do you do?

Re: Semi-bluffing in multi-way pots
 

Raise.

Re: Semi-bluffing in multi-way pots
 

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Raise.

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Call.

Re: Semi-bluffing in multi-way pots
 

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Raise.

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Call.

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Build a pot...

Re: Semi-bluffing in multi-way pots
 

What happened to playing our combo draws fast?

Re: Semi-bluffing in multi-way pots
 

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What happened to playing our combo draws fast?

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It's good to have set rules for hands. It really is.

Re: Semi-bluffing in multi-way pots
 

i raise here for a couple of reasons. we have a monster hand HU, but in a multi-way pot a lot of our outs are tainted and we dont know which ones. you really really want A8/A9/AT like hands to fold here.

Re: Semi-bluffing in multi-way pots
 

Raising takes control of the pot and possibly buys outs.

Re: Semi-bluffing in multi-way pots
 

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What happened to playing our combo draws fast?

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BUT HE COULD HAVE A HIGHER FLUSH DRAW OR A MADE STRAIGHT OR A SET AND THEN YOU'RE NOT IN AS GOOD SHAPE AS YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE IN!

Oops. I don't know what got into me there. Anyway, I raise here, maybe even make the overbet jam. You may take down the biggish pot there, and you're in fine shape against a lot of stuff. If you get called by a better flush draw, you're a little better than a coinflip with a nice overlay. If you get called by a set, you're still getting a nice little overlay to hit a bunch of outs (and not get sucked out on). You may also get stuff that you want gone to fold out, freeing up your outs, etc.

My biggest problem with calling is that if either of your draws hit, you won't get any action except from a better flush, or a better straight, or a straight with which you're chopping. So, yeah, time to gambooooooooooooooool.