Athempro semi-bluff guide
A backdoor flush draw is a difficult hand to obtain. Basically you are holding two hearts in your hand, if you have the flush draw you have the strongest hand at the table with the most possibility to make the best hand. Weaker opponents or those who call very loosely with less than premium hands are sometimes more susceptible to a backdoor flush draw, especially in situations where they are last to act in a betting round.
The application of pressure can help successfully execute a backdoor flush draw. Two ways to accomplish this are
- Make all of the other players perform before you make your move, such as raising pre-flop, or re-raising the pre-flop bet small enough to force your opponents to fold if they donk at you, or
- Calling all the way to the river, giving yourself a free card if you achieving the nut flush
When you have a backdoor flush draw, you should definitely keep the pot small, either by calling or re-raising the bet, unless the pot odds are favorable. Another important consideration is that you will probably be the only one betting so you want to control the betting and determine the strength of your hand.
For example, you have J9o and an opponent has Q5s. The flop is J6o and you check. He then bets and you call. There is $30 in the pot. You have a nut flush, any number is possible. You are hoping for either a two pair, or possibly a set. If the situation were reversed you might consider folding, but you are willing to call a pot sized bet in position and beat the odds if you pair the flush on this hand.
Next you consider your outs, which are the cards left in the deck that can improve your hand. Obviously you are hoping for an Ace or King to give you a runner-runner straight possibility. If you are called you still have a good hand and a backdoor flush draw may still be profitable. If you are beat you simply fold your hand with the hope of netting a greater profit in the next hand.
So far you have only considered your hand and the one bet that you face. You also consider your outs, and you arrive at some possible hands for the river. With the addition of the outs it is now a good decision to call a bet, even though the pot odds aren't favourable.
On the turn you evaluate again your outs and you still have the majority of outs available, yet the odds are against you. In this case you continue to consider your outs and arrive at a good decision. There may be a future bet and you continue to evaluate and adjust your decision.
Finally the river comes. You evaluate again your outs and you have Ultimate Hotel which is the best hand by far. You check, and your opponent bets. Again the pot odds are against you even though the turn and river cards are great. In this case you ignore your outs and check hoping for a free card to make your hand.
Ignoring your outs will leave you open to future bad beats, which is something you don't want to have to depend on. It is good to punt on hands with less than premium outs, but your strategy will suffer if you depend on these types of hands.
