Couple of Possiblities

In this post I will look at texture of the board and how it affects your hand.

Picture this, you look down at AcAh. you raise and four players see the flop.

The flop comes As Ks Qd. How do you feel.

Well you may feel great, you have just flopped trip Aces.

The problem is, there is many possibilities that this flop brings for other players.

1. They have made a straight.
2. They have a flush draw.
3. They have a straight draw.

It is highly likely that if you made a significant raise pre flop, at least one player has something or can draw something that will beat you.

I have been in this position many times. Flopping trip aces with a straight draw is bad enough without adding other possibilities such as flush draws.

Most times when I have seen this type flop to the river I lose to a straight or a flush. The difference is I limit my losses by not going all in if I can avoid it. This doesn't mean being soft in raising but being somewaht conservative relative to my stack.

In this scenario depending on your opponents you need to play it by ear, most likely raising if it hasn't been raised by a solid player. If it is raised don't be afraid to fold as you probably don't have the best of it.

Board texture is down to four main factors.

1. Flush draws (board containing two of a suit) or flush possibilities (three of a suit)
2. Connected Straight draws/possibilities (two or three connected cards)
3. Gutshot Straight draws/possibilities (two or three semi connected cards)
4. Full house possibilities (where there is a pair on the board)

I have been on tables where you have players with straights, flushes and full houses, all in the one hand (all thinking they had the best hand).

One thing to be aware of is the Gutshot straight draws, they aren't apparent to most players and you normally can't put people on a gutshot straight draw nor should you unless a solid player is particularly aggressive.

Always be aware of board texture and bet accordingly, if you have a straight and there is a possible flush draw, raise. When players are trying to trap with 'made' hands such as straights they are playing with fire. You need to make players gamble to hit their drawing hands.

*Amazingly while writing this post and playing a cash game online, I won a very large hand to a low straight and a high straight when I had the flush.

In this hand, the player who flopped a straight, raised all in on the turn as they should have done on the flop as there was a flush draw (which I would have folded). Instead I 'gambled' on the river as I had the straight draw (on the turn) as well as the flush draw and was pot invested.

The moral for today is always be aware of what other players may have and don't go blind to your hand.

Originally posted by: *PKR ADK*