Flush draws: When to keep going and when to give them up?

[Wahoo73]

You make a somewhat valid point about "bankroll," but in my case, as in yours, that amount is not really my bankroll per se, inasmuch as I can deposit more money any time I want.

Prior to July, I had always kept at least $1K on deposit at FTP in order to play the occasional 5/10 game and 3/6 at any time I wanted to. As I dropped below $1K, I didn't play above 3/6 and began playing more 1/2 and 2/4. As my losses continued to mount through July, I almost stopped playing 3/6 altogether and kept increasing the amount of 2/4 and 1/2 games. I just didn't see any point in depositing more money at FTP until I was offered a 50% deposit bonus which I started on 11 August and deposited $700, bringing my balance back up to $850. It's now down to a little over $750, and I haven't been playing above 1/2 for about three weeks.

Yes, four-flushes are very tough for me to lay down as well...and hence I thought by discussing this here someone could impart some tactical advice that indicated I might be chasing them too deep into the hand under certain situations.

Maybe I got too spoiled during my first nine months at FTP as I was making money hand-over-fist and now I'm being made to give some of it back. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[PoorLawyer]

with the amount you play, you really should just suck it up and get PT for keeping track of your own stats. Even if you dont want to get all that in-depth evaluating your play or rating other players, it is such a great tool for keeping track of your BB/100 and VPIP for each limit so you can tell where your strengths are and what you need to work on.

I was the opposite on FT....couldnt win the first 3 months there after the crypto demise and now am up pretty good (this weekend notwithstanding!)

[Poker CPA]

U don't have PT?????

[Wahoo73]

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with the amount you play, you really should just suck it up and get PT for keeping track of your own stats

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But I had so much fun going back through hand histories for the last two months to manually count all my busted flush draws. [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

Do you own stock in PT? [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Roland]

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1. Irrespective of opponents' cards, yes there are situations I think you should fold your flush draw on 5th or 6th street that are dependent on the number of opponents and size of the pot, e.g., isolated against a single player on 5th or 6th street with a small pot.

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Pretty much the only time you should fold a 4-flush on 5th is when you are looking at open trips or strongely suspect that at least one of your opponents has trips and it looks like you'll get caught in a raising war.
On 6th, you'd obviously need an even better reason to fold.
The situation that the pot is too small to give you the correct odds to draw is very rare... I mean, how come you have a hand as strong as a 4-flush and there's no money in that pot yet?? [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[lstream]

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A four-flush on 4th is almost always worth a raise, whether you have facecards in there or not.

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Hey Roland - old buddy old pal.

The spot where I vary from this, is when I am in mid-position in a multiway (4,5 or more) pot. If it is raised to me, and I have a strong live flush draw and the players who have not acted yet have bricked, and I want them around, I often just call. Especially if I think they are chasing straights. Lots of times the late position guys will come along for one bet on fourth, but if you make them cold call two bets, you may drive them out when you'd rather have them stay around and donate.

[Andy B]

A live four-flush on fourth is a very strong hand and usually worth betting or raising. Of course, you might choose not to raise to keep people in or for some other reason. Absent any other information, that four-flush should come in about 47% of the time. 18% is quite aberrant assuming a significant sample size.

Personally, I'd take a break from playing, re-read 7CS4AP and TOP, and maybe have a few beers.

[docholiday420]

I like to flat call on fourth with a four flush if it's mutliway. Like Andy said it's almost 50% so I want to get 3-1 or 4-1 on my money for a 2-1 proposition. I may raise on fifth with that many caller if last to act and still drawing. Also besides killing pot odds with a raise, you announce to anyone who's paying attention that at the least that you might be on a suited draw. So now if on fifth or sixth you make that flush, they may be more tended to fold. Raising puts attention on you especially in a multiway pot. I'd rather keep the attention off and maybe someone will bet into you on sixth street after you make it. If you end up not making the flush you save a bet by not raising, and if you hit it you win more usually. The raise is only really more profitable if people fold to it on fourth. Otherwise you kind of have to hope you catch the last suit on the river.

[Poker CPA]

Be aggessive with nice pots, thin the field, you may win with something besides a flush. Getting a free card, either way, is more likely. You want to win nice pots ASAP, so be aggressive in the early stages. Roland is correct.

Unless you think u have already won the pot, you do not close the action on 4th or 5th.

[Roland]

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Also besides killing pot odds with a raise

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You should totally not be concerned about pot odds in this situation. You should be concerned with your, in most cases, enourmous equity edge and therefore pour as many chips into the pot as you can.

Put money in the pot while you're ahead...