Strong Flops
Rainbow flops of all rags or with just one high card are strong flops for a set. You
do not have to worry about flush or straight draws, unless someone has some type
of straight draw with all low cards. An ideal situation is when you flop a set. and one
or two of your opponents hold either an overpair or top pair. For example, a great
flop is J ♣ 7
♦ 5
♥
when you hold 7 ♠ 7
♥, especially if one of your opponents holds a
jack and another opponent an overpair.
When the pot is large, you should almost always play your hand strongly by either
betting out or raising. Your hand is very strong, but a free card could always give
your opponents a backdoor flush or straight draw, so you want to drive them out of
the pot. Check-raising is an option to drive out opponents of a large pot when you
are sure an opponent will bet out: however, be careful in check-raising if you hold
the highest set, since it is Jess likely that your opponents were helped by the flop
and they may not bet.
For example, if you hold J ♥ J ♠ with a flop of J ♦ 7 ♥ 5 ♠. it is unlikely that your
opponents were helped with this flop. Note how slowplaying this seemingly very
strong hand can be dangerous against several opponents when the pot is large.
Any diamond, heart, spade, A, K, or Q could give your opponents a good drawing
hand. A T, 9, 8, 6, 4, or 3 could also give your opponents a good drawing hand or
possibly even a straight. Don't take the risk of giving your opponents; a free card
and a chance to win a large pot.
If the pot is small, you can consider slowplaying your hand. Ideally you want a
couple players to play the flop to gain extra bets on the turn and river. Checking or
just calling a bet can give your opponents a chance to bluff or possibly improve to a
second-best hand on the turn. Slowplaying to the turn also allows you to raise on
the bigger betting round. However, be careful in checking the turn if you must act
first since your opponents may take a free card. Generally go ahead and raise once
two players have entered the pot.
Even with a small pot. sometimes you might raise the flop or even bet out against a
lone opponent as a deceptive strategy when you think he might also have a decent
hand. You could gain a lot of extra bets if your opponent doesn't put you on such a
strong hand.
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