Poker Hand Discussion -- What Would You Do with a Straight?

In this weekly series, CardPlayer.com and the Card Player Pro poker video training site (powered by PokerSavvy Plus) are giving you a free, full-length training video. In each article, we will highlight a particularly interesting hand from that video that features unconventional play, and we will ask for your opinions on the hand.

Tell us what you think and how you’d play this week’s hand in the comments below.

Video Title: Tough Spots Out of Position

Coach: Ed “Eddi” Antonyan

Video Description

In this week’s free, full-length poker strategy video for Card Player Pro, poker professional Ed “Eddi” Antonyan looks at playing out of the blinds in cash games. Ed shows you how to handle difficult spots out of position and discusses when it’s best to check, bet, or fold. Playing well out of position is one of the toughest parts of becoming a good no-limit hold’em player — let Ed give you a few tips to help you out!

Discussion Point:

What to do with a Straight?

A highlight of the video comes at the 23:30 mark, when Ed reviews an interesting spot with a straight. In a $2-$4 cash game, the cutoff opened to $14, and Ed elected to defend his big blind with A 4. Both he and his opponent have more than $1,000 to play with, and Ed explains how hands that can make the nuts become very valuable in deep-stacked situations. Ed and his opponent took a flop heads up.

The flop came 5 3 2 — giving Ed a flopped straight.

Ed checked, his opponent bet $22, and Ed check-raised to $68. Without much thought, his opponent called.

The turn brought the 10, adding a second flush draw. Wanting to protect his strong, but vulnerable hand, Ed bet $145 into a pot of $166. Again, his opponent called.

The river brought the 9, completing a flush draw. With $456 in the pot, and $823 left in his opponent’s stack, what do you think Ed should do with his straight? Should he make a small bet and try to get paid off by worse? Should he bet big? Should he check and call his opponent’s bet? Should he check and fold if his opponent bets big?

Watch now to see how Ed played his straight as part of this free, full-length training video.

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