Bridging the Flop

While I was attending the very large annual regional bridge tournament in Sarasota, Florida, my spies told me about the excellent poker action at the Sarasota Kennel Club (dog track) One-Eyed Jacks Card Room. So each night, after the evening session of bridge, we taxied over to this huge card room that had at least twenty-five tables of poker going even late at night. The poker games ranged from $2-$4 limit, to $1-$2 and $2-$5 no-limit; and, they also had $2-$5 pot-limit Omaha. Poker indeed has become extremely popular in Florida.

While waiting for a seat in the $2-$5 pot-limit Omaha (the buy in was $200), I noted that several players were routinely “straddling” on their buttons. That is, to generate more action, they would bet blind an extra five dollars before the flop (thus making it $10 to call) and then would be allowed to raise when the betting before the flop came back to them.

I was slightly ahead after playing in this $2-$5 pot limit Omaha for about an hour, when in a middle seat, I picked up a 9-8-7-6 wrap single suited. The button player had straddled the extra $5, so it cost me $10 to call before the flop. With five callers, the straddler then raised another $10. Thus it cost me $20 to see the flop.

The 10-5-2 rainbow flop looked disappointing until I realized that my 9-8-7-6 wrap “bridged” the gap between the ten and five, and that any fourth card from a four to a jack that did not pair the board would give me a 13-out straight draw. The overall bottom line in this “wrap bridge” situation is that I will make a straight about one time six.

No one seemed to like this flop and there were four checks around to the button who bet $15. I called and there were two folds and one other caller. The turn card was a six which gave me 13 outs (any nine, eight, seven, or four) to make a straight, and all of those straights would be “the nuts.”

The other caller and I both checked to the button who confidently bet $25. We both called.

The river card was a seven, so my 9-8 gave me the nut straight. The other caller in front of me suddenly came to life and pushed in a $50 bet! Should I raise here or just call and try to keep the button in? The button player looked disgusted and I expected him to fold. I decided to raise. But, how much? I didn’t want to raise too much and pressure the bettor into folding.

I raised $80. The button folded as expected. The bettor look up at me and said, “Do you really have an Oldsmobile?” There once was an Oldsmobile model 98. He finally called with his lower straight so I won a nice pot.

For those of you interested in the actual percentages of this situation, there are 20 fourth cards (eight jacks and fours, twelve sixes through nines) all of which give you 13 cards that will make a straight on the river. A 13-out draw is better than a last card full-house draw (where you need the board to pair) or a flush draw (nine outs). But if the fourth card is a queen or a three, you then have only a gutshot straight-draw (only 4 last card outs).

All in all, whenever you flop a wrap bridge, it is certainly worth calling a small bet after the flop. And if the turn card gives you a 13-out straight draw, you now have one of the best draws in Omaha, especially when considering your “implied odds,” since you are quite likely to be called if you hit.

There are now many fine poker rooms in Florida and that undoubtedly is contributing to the ever increasing popularity of the Sunshine State. Even in the world of tournament bridge, I know many players who prefer to frequent the Florida bridge tournaments because of the additional poker action. ♠

Formerly a career lawyer with the U.S. Department of Justice, Mike Cappelletti has written numerous books on poker and bridge, and is considered to be one of the leading authorities on Omaha. Mike has also represented the U.S. in international bridge competition, and he and his wife were featured in a four-page Couples Section in People magazine. His books include Cappelletti on Omaha, Poker at the Millennium (with Mike Caro), and Omaha High Low Poker.