Recognizing Straight Boards(Major Leak Inside)

[Iceberg-Slim]

I don't have a leak in my game, I am pretty much missing a whole wall, I cannot see straight boards for some odd reason, and when I take a tough beat it is typically to a straight board, it's like my eyes just refuse to see them. This may be normal somewhat because it is prob the most difficult to see out of all the possibilities its just I am extreme, I over focus on pairs and flushes and try to outplay my opponent

LOOK at this potentially disasterous laydown I was prepared to make, but called on mistake....

No Limit Texas Holdem ($50/$100 NL)
Table UB - Low Buy-in
August 28, 2007 - 11:42:55 (CDT)

1} Iceberg-Slim $3,870 9c 4h
2) Chuck $3,195 8s Kh
3) Oly $2,180 Ah 8c
5) Amanda $1,080 Jh Qd
6) Rivered $1,845 Ks 2d
7) Angus * $210 Ac 9d
10) HypeMan $1,120 Kc 3h

HypeMan posts small blind $50
Iceberg-Slim posts big blind $100
Chuck folds
Oly folds
Amanda calls $100
Rivered folds
Angus folds
HypeMan calls $50
Iceberg-Slim checks

FLOP: Tc Js 8h
HypeMan checks
Iceberg-Slim checks
Amanda checks

TURN: Tc Js 8h Qh
HypeMan checks
Iceberg-Slim bets $300
Amanda calls $300
HypeMan folds

RIVER: Tc Js 8h Qh 2s
Iceberg-Slim checks
Amanda bets $680 (all-in)
Iceberg-Slim calls $680 (I called here on mistake, I wanted to fold)
Amanda shows Jh Qd
Iceberg-Slim shows 9c 4h

Iceberg-Slim wins $2,260 with a Queen High Straight


I was pretty much defending my BB since everyone decided to limp in and with a hand as horrible as 9/4, I did not plan on flopping any thing worthwild, but forcing this tight table to lay down their hands

The 300 was me trying to buy the pot, not play the straight, cause I would of slowplayed that position, the River check was me accepting my fate, and when she shoved in on me, I meant to fold, but called on mistake.....

I need help plugging this hole in my game please....

[googleit123]

I guess I'm a bit confused, you turned a straight and was about to fold the river? The only hand that beats you is K9. Any flush draw missed and those who chase bottom ends of straights also misses.
Low stack shoves I call without hesitation. If this were a big stack of a passive weak player or in a tournament situation I might, but most likely NOT, fold.
Flop check is fine, turn bet is fine, river is a auto call vs a short stack with our equity.
I guess the only problem I see is you pondering to lay down a straight to a short stack.
I generally play tight out of the blinds since we have horrible position throughout the hand.

[pernicus53]

You don't know how happy I am to see this thread. This means I am not alone. When I fist started playing I kind of had this problem too. Some people are born not being so good at rearranging items in space. If you have a straight draw out of order you have to either rearrange them, or just be able to plug in the appropriate numbers out of order.
I've worked on this quite extensively and have it under control. I don't know how long you've been playing, but if you make a conscious effort toward this end, it should come. If you need to take the cards and re-order them from left to right, do that, and then say, a 5 or a 9 completes the straight, or a person would need a 5 and a 7, etc. Make sure not to forget flush draws while all this is going on. It just takes time--while it's boring, if you go online and watch games you're not in and practice this, it helps.

[AngusThermopyle]

Get a deck of cards.

Shuffle.
Put out 5 card board.
What hole cards make a straight?
The nut straight?

Rinse.
Repeat until it becomes second nature. Maybe 1000 boards or so, give or take.

[gedanken]

yeah, straights are hard to see sometimes. It gets really confusing when you have to defend against multiple possible straights. just be vigilant.

basic rule is if there are two cards less than 6 apart on the board (a 10 and a 6) and a card between them, a straight is possible.

It helps to realize there's only 10 possible straights: A-5 through T-A.

missing a 1-card straight in your hand is not nearly so expensive as seeing a two-card straight that you don't actually have. I literally count them out on my fingers before betting now. (is that a tell?)

[Zifadel]

[ QUOTE ]

yeah, straights are hard to see sometimes. It gets really confusing when you have to defend against multiple possible straights. just be vigilant.

basic rule is if there are two cards less than 6 apart on the board (a 10 and a 6) and a card between them, a straight is possible.

It helps to realize there's only 10 possible straights: A-5 through T-A.

missing a 1-card straight in your hand is not nearly so expensive as seeing a two-card straight that you don't actually have. I literally count them out on my fingers before betting now. (is that a tell?)

[/ QUOTE ]

Live???? If so then yes, a huge tell.

[Iceberg-Slim]

amazing responses, thank you

My problem was I was getting ready to fold it from lack of paying attention to straight possibilities, therefor when I didnt pair anything, and the flush was dead, I figured I was pretty much dead, and was completely blind to the straight. :-(

Im improving now though, and conciously making sure I pay attention to look for potential straights

[kimchi]

I think I've found another potential leak:

[ QUOTE ]
Iceberg-Slim calls $680 (I called here on mistake, I wanted to fold)


[/ QUOTE ]

[PantsOnFire]

I think it's Amanda who has the straight problem. That check on the flop is brutal.

As for recognizing straights, just remember some points here. J and T are used in the most straights. When you see those two cards on the board, then the chance of somebody making a straight is the highest. Also, when two cards are right beside each other in rank, like 98, 67, JQ, there are more ways to make a straight than if they are apart like 97, T8, QT.

You also want to pay attention to when there are draws and when a straight is already possible. These are two very different situations.

And when a straight is possible, say on the flop, the likelyhood of a straight is different depending on what the cards are. For example, a flop or 987 can make a straight with three different hands JT, T6, and 65. A flop of J87 can only make a straight with one hand T9.

If I were you, I'd take a deck of cards and deal out 3 card flops and assess the straight possibilities. Then deal a turn and a river and see if you can come up with what hands can make a straight. Do it over and over. You will get better at this.