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My Answers:
#1 —
Fold
Speculative hands are better to play when you have better position and a bigger stack. I’m out of position against 3 other players and only 28 bb.
Call
In game, I called because I saw two weak players in the hand and I think 87 suited is one of the best hands in multiway pots. My plan was to go for the check-raise if I hit and try to get it in.
#2 —
Check
This option seems best.
Bet
I must be honest, I almost bet $600 into $1000. Betting from the small blind into 3 players shows tremendous strength. It puts the UTG player to a tough decision (fold, call, raise) w/ players behind. In my opinion, it’s common for players to lead with hands like small sets and two pairs. They balance that range by also semi-bluffing with hands like straight draws and flush draws.
#3 —
What odds are needed to chase the draw?
The pot is 1000.
My opponent will bet X.
Pot Odds = X / (1000 + X)
On the flop,
My outs are the (5c, 5h, 5s, 5d, Tc, Th, Ts, Td) however two of them (Td, 5d) will put a possible flush on the board. It will also allow the possibility of runner runner diamond which would make my straight (if i hit it) rather useless. In the actual hand, the turn was the 5d giving me the straight but the river was the runner runner diamond. That being said, let’s do the math for 6 outs to lowball the odds needed.
On the flop, 47 unknown cards remain and 5 cards (my hand, the flop) are known.
Since I have 6 outs to the nuts, my odds of winning are 6 in 47 or about ~12% of hitting this card on the turn.
If I miss, I still have 6 in 46 cards to hit the river. This happens another ~13%.
This makes a total of about 25% to hit on the turn or river.
If my opponent bets 1/3 the pot, I would only need to win 25% of the time to be profitable. If they bet larger than 33% of the pot, I would be priced out.
