Don’t let fear stand in the way of maximizing potential big hands

In a recent $2-$5 no-limit hold ’ em cash game, action was six-handed when a player in early position limped in, and I was on the button holding Ks 4s. It’s not a great hand by any means, but given the weak limp and my position, I opted to be aggressive with a raise to $20.

The blinds both folded, and the limper called to see a Jd 7s 4h flop. The limper checked, and I opted to check back despite pairing my four. I did so because I figured that if I didn’t already have the best hand, there would be a lot of turn cards that I’d like. Another four, a king or even a spade for the backdoor flush draw would all be good for me.

The 4d that landed was obviously an above-average card for me, so imagine how delighted I was to see my opponent lead into me for $25. There was now a diamond flush draw out there, but I decided to raise. If perchance my opponent had two diamonds down, I wanted to charge him to see the river. Even if he didn’t and instead had a jack, I wanted to get some value. Raising seemed like the obvious thing to do, so I made it $80 to go.

He called, and the river came 7d to complete the flush draw, though it was a moot point as I improved to a full house. The original limper checked, and I slid out a bet of $150.

One mistake many recreational players make in a spot like this is not betting their hands for value. Even though they’re likely to get called whenever their opponent holds either a jack or the runner-runner flush, they get deterred by the board double-pairing. “What if my opponent has a seven for the better full house and check-raises me?” they think.

While it was possible that my opponent had a seven, it was unlikely for a number of reasons.

First, what sort of hands that contain a seven is he limping preflop with from early position? Maybe A-7 suited, though I think he’d be more likely to raise with that hand. A suited-connector combo containing a seven (such as 6-7 or 7-8) was a possibility.

Let’s say he did have one of those hands. Would he check the flop and lead the turn? Probably. However, would he call my raise on the turn? I doubt it. Would he really check the river after making sevens full? Some players might, but most want to ensure that they get some value out of their hand. They don’t want to risk it going check- check, so they’ll take the initiative and bet. He didn’t do that, so I didn’t think he held a seven.

My opponent went into the tank — the term poker players use when someone thinks about a decision for an unusually long amount of time — and eventually made the call with Ah Jc.

In spots like this, it’s important to go for value and increase your bottom line. Don’t let fear deter you from getting the most out of your big hands.