Good example of a flush draw (7CS HI)

[TheSalche]

I'm gonna post the hand, then write another post describing my thoughts on each street and hopefully this will help those starting at stud a better insight on how to play a flush draw:

PokerStars Game #6260193878: 7 Card Stud Limit ($0.50/$1.00) - 2006/09/12 - 12:53:55 (ET)
Table 'Segin IV' 8-max
Seat 1: Cuebaca ($5.60 in chips)
Seat 2: festus estes ($13.90 in chips)
Seat 3: threebets987 ($22.40 in chips)
Seat 4: TaoJ ($36.65 in chips)
Seat 5: Sonny617 ($19.60 in chips)
Seat 6: Markus44 ($16.35 in chips)
Seat 8: el moldo ($9.75 in chips)
Cuebaca: posts the ante $0.05
festus estes: posts the ante $0.05
threebets987: posts the ante $0.05
TaoJ: posts the ante $0.05
Sonny617: posts the ante $0.05
Markus44: posts the ante $0.05
el moldo: posts the ante $0.05
*** 3rd STREET ***
Dealt to Cuebaca [3h]
Dealt to festus estes [3d]
Dealt to threebets987 [Th]
Dealt to TaoJ [8c]
Dealt to Sonny617 [9s Qs 2s]
Dealt to Markus44 [8s]
Dealt to el moldo [4d]
Sonny617: brings-in low $0.25
Markus44: folds
el moldo: calls $0.25
Cuebaca: folds
festus estes: calls $0.25
threebets987: raises $0.25 to $0.50
TaoJ: folds
Sonny617: calls $0.25
el moldo: calls $0.25
festus estes: calls $0.25
*** 4th STREET ***
Dealt to festus estes [3d] [Ad]
Dealt to threebets987 [Th] [Qc]
Dealt to Sonny617 [9s Qs 2s] [3s]
Dealt to el moldo [4d] [3c]
festus estes: bets $0.50
threebets987: calls $0.50
Sonny617: calls $0.50
el moldo: calls $0.50
*** 5th STREET ***
Dealt to festus estes [3d Ad] [4s]
Dealt to threebets987 [Th Qc] [8h]
Dealt to Sonny617 [9s Qs 2s 3s] [Tc]
Dealt to el moldo [4d 3c] [7s]
festus estes: checks
threebets987: checks
Sonny617: bets $1
el moldo: calls $1
festus estes: calls $1
threebets987: calls $1
*** 6th STREET ***
Dealt to festus estes [3d Ad 4s] [9h]
Dealt to threebets987 [Th Qc 8h] [As]
Dealt to Sonny617 [9s Qs 2s 3s Tc] [Kh]
Dealt to el moldo [4d 3c 7s] [5h]
threebets987: checks
Sonny617: checks
el moldo: bets $1
festus estes: calls $1
threebets987: folds
Sonny617: calls $1
*** RIVER ***
Dealt to Sonny617 [9s Qs 2s 3s Tc Kh] [Jc]
festus estes: checks
Sonny617: bets $1
el moldo: raises $1 to $2
festus estes: folds
festus estes is sitting out
Sonny617: raises $1 to $3
el moldo: calls $1
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Sonny617: shows [9s Qs 2s 3s Tc Kh Jc] (a straight, Nine to King)
el moldo: mucks hand
Sonny617 collected $16.85 from pot
festus estes has returned
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $17.35 | Rake $0.50
Seat 1: Cuebaca folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)
Seat 2: festus estes folded on the River
Seat 3: threebets987 folded on the 6th Street
Seat 4: TaoJ folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)
Seat 5: Sonny617 showed [9s Qs 2s 3s Tc Kh Jc] and won ($16.85) with a straight, Nine to King
Seat 6: Markus44 folded on the 3rd Street (didn't bet)
Seat 8: el moldo mucked [4c 6s 4d 3c 7s 5h 6c]

[TheSalche]

3rd: No reason to bring-in for the full bet here. My suit only has one dead, and the queens are live and are an overcard to everybody's board card. Because of this, I call the raise, knowing that there won't be a re-raise behind me.

4th: Some people might raise here, but I'm concerned about the suited ace. If he has a 4 flush as well, he will likely beat me if he makes it (unless I catch the ace). While you usually want to make the pot as large as possible with a 4-flush on 4th, I opt to call here and re-evaluate on a later street. A Queen just died as well.

5th: Two more spades die, leaving six more, but the pot is still 4-way and the diamond man bricked, nobody else is showing anything threatening like an obvious straight draw / paired boards. I bet here because I plan on taking this to the end and I want to get the most out of my draw, I can also possibly buy a free card on 6th.

6th: Brick again but threebets and el moldo's boards just became scarier. I caught a gut-shot straight draw and diamond man bricked as well. No reason to bet, just call.

7th: Miracles can happen, I hit the gutshot against a very likely el moldo straight. Diamond man checks and I bet for a few reasons:

1. If I check and moldo checks, I have lost a bet (possibly two)
2. If I bet, moldo calls and festus raises, I'm pretty sure to be beaten and can lay my hand down.
3. If I bet, moldo raises and festus re-raises ... my hand is in the muck extremely fast.
4. If I bet, moldo raises, I can re-raise being very sure I'm best. He would have to have a very well disguised full house to beat me here.

[MrDarling]

Very nice explanation and way of thinking during a hand...

Thanks