Raising To Eliminate Poker Players Part3
AK isn't the only hand you must have to consider raising to eliminate players after the flop. Let's look at a few others:
You hold Q*l0*. The flop is 10*8*4*.
Raise. You do not want anyone holding AK, AQ, AJ, KQ, QJ, or a pocket pair below 10s to call. Your biggest fear is an overcard to the 10. An ace or a king will beat your pair of 10s, and a jack could complete the straight draw. Anyone holding 99, 77, 66, and 55 will often call to see the turn card if the pot is big enough and the price is right. If you flop top pair with a good kicker and you just call, you are inviting disaster.
You hold A*9*. The flop is 9*5*2*.
Again, you have top pair with top kicker and probably have the best hand. The problem is that there are so many gaps between the ace and the 9. Look at how many hands can beat you if you get a card in the gap on the turn: AK, AQ, AJ, A10, KQ, KJ, K10, K9, QJ, Q10, Q9, J10, J9. You also have to worry about the backdoor flush draw and the two wheel cards on the flop. An ace, 3,4, or 6 could complete the baby straight draw. Your hand is so vulnerable that it's easier to count the cards that help you rather than the cards that hurt you. This is a hand you need to protect, so raise now to scare away other players.
You hold 5*5*. The flop is K*9454.
Never slowplay a bottom set, especially if you can raise and knock someone out. A player holding a higher pocket pair, KJ, KIO, QJ, QIO, JIO, or a three-flush could easily beat you on the turn or river. You have the best hand. Make them pay to beat you.
You hold 9*8*. The flop is 10*7*64.
You flopped the nut straight, but there are still so many cards that can beat you. A 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or jack could make someone else a higher straight or a full house. You have to eliminate players so your hand will stand up at the end.
I'm including this example because it recently happened to me. I held the 7464 when this exact flop hit the board. The player who held the 9*8* in front of me had just called, thinking he would wait for the turn, when the bets double, to raise. The turn card was the 74, making me a full house and winning the hand for me. If the other player had raised on the flop, when he had the best hand, I would not have had the correct odds to call, so I would gladly have folded bottom two pair.
You hold 9424. The flop is 3454104.
You just completed a flush (but if you saw the flop with this hand, I hope you're in the big blind).
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