Rainbow with One High Card
So far we have shown that you generally should not draw with dangerous types of
flops that are two- or three-suited, two- or three-connected, or have a lot of high
cards. You can sometimes play a rainbow flop with only one high card since your
draw is less likely to be counterfeited.
Advanced Concept: Holding a kicker higher than the highest card on the flop significantly improves
your odds that your hand can win; otherwise, an opponent with top pair will have a decent draw to
two higher pair or better.
When your kicker is lower than the highest card on the flop, you need even better
pot odds to justify a draw. Let's look at an example of this concept.
You hold A ♠ 7 ♠ with a J ♦ 7 ♣ 5 ♥ flop and an early position player bets. If you are
acting last, a call could be correct with decent pot odds: however, you would need
even better pot odds to call with a hand like 8 ♠ 7 ♠. The problem with drawing and
improving to two small pair is that your opponent has a better chance of drawing to
beat you on the river when he holds the highest pair.
If your opponent has Q ♣ J ♣, any queen, jack, or 5 on the river would beat 8 ♠ 7 ♦ (if
an 8 comes on the turn). However, if the turn card is an A ♦ and you have A ♠ 7 ♠,
your opponent can only beat you with a jack on the river. Your opponent has six
additional outs on the river to beat two small pair compared to two high pair. This
sometimes can be the difference between calling and folding on the flop, especially
against several opponents.
Remember however, you still need excellent pot odds to justify drawing to a hand
that is 8 to 1 against improving and could possibly be drawing dead. For example,
you hold 98 with a A86 flop. You feel that an opponent has at least a pair of aces,
so you will need to improve by hitting one of your five outs. If your opponent holds
A8 you are drawing dead. If he holds A9 or A6, you only have two outs to the 8.
Even if you improve to two pair on the turn, your opponent will have at least eight
outs to improve to an even better hand on the river. Drawing to bottom or middle
pair requires excellent pot odds.
Whenever you are against one or two opponents, there is a decent chance that you
might be holding the best hand. If you are acting first, you should usually bet and
see how your opponents react. You might have the best hand, and even if you
don't, you still have outs. Whenever an opponent bets into you. you need to
determine the chances that you are holding the best hand. Against rocks you
should almost always fold since it is unlikely you are getting good odds to draw.
Tricky players could be betting a good hand, bottom pair, or even as a bluff.
Sometimes you will need to call or raise against these types of players if you feel
there is a decent chance that your hand could win.
Rainbow of All Rags
This is the best type of flop as you may have the best hand. Strategy is very similar
to holding top pair with an all rag flop since these types of flops usually do not help
your opponents. Please refer to the previous chapter for strategies. However, if you
are playing against a player in the blinds, you need to be concerned that he has hit
top pair.
NEXT...Review
