Nuts Panic

I'm trying to clear the bonus on the $50 I got staked at Party. So I thought I'd try the $5nl tables which my BR will support (when I get the bonus ).

So I'm sitting there playing reasonably tight (I played a couple of hands I wouldn't normally play - like ATo, but junked hands like QJ from early position, which I don't do in SNGs).

Anyway, I decided to play my A3s from the SB. At the table, where everyone seems to passive, why not?

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em, $ BB (8 handed) FTR converter on zerodivide.cx

CO ($3.88)
Button ($5.05)
Hero ($4.48)
BB ($7.61)
UTG ($6.43)
UTG+1 ($5.49)
MP1 ($5)
MP2 ($7.59)

Preflop: Hero is SB with A, 3. Hero posts a blind of $0.02.
4 folds, CO calls $0.04, 1 fold, Hero (poster) completes, BB checks.

Flop: ($0.12) Q, 6, A (3 players)
Hero bets $0.04, BB folds, CO raises to $0.08, Hero calls $0.04.

So I'm on a flush draw, I decided to lead with a min-bet, mainly to disguise my draw hand. I'm not playing my pair of aces because of the crappy kicker, but if everyone else folds, that'd be fine.
When I get re-raised I have to put him on TPGK, but not TPTK I think. Now I have to pay 0.04 to win 0.24, so it's got to be worth it. Right?

Turn: ($0.28) 2 (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $0.04, Hero calls $0.04.

I make my flush, I check, hopefully his previous round raise shows he's got something and he'll bet into me.
It's a min-bet so I call, surely he's expecting a flush to raise here?

River: ($0.36) J (2 players)
Hero bets $0.38, CO raises to $0.76, Hero raises to $1.14, CO raises to $1.52, Hero raises to $1.9, CO calls $0.38.

Okay, here's where it got hard. Another club comes up. Which is a pain because surely now he's got to be worried about the flush; unless he's come up with a good flush himself.
I can't rely on him to make a big bet, so I bet just over the pot hoping he'll call it.
To my surprise he comes back over the top, so I re-re-raise and he does it again.
Now I'm just panicking. I *know* I've won this pot and he just keeps putting more and more into it. I don't want him to get out so I just keep hitting the raise button in front of me.

My two questions are mainly:
1) How should I have bet this river?
2) How do you calm down long enough to think this through? Is it just experience?
I only have this problem online, without that clock ticking down I do fine.

Final Pot: $4.16

Results in white below:
CO has Ah Js (two pair, aces and jacks).
Hero has Ac 3c (flush, ace high).
Outcome: Hero wins $4.16.

So I'm on a flush draw, I decided to lead with a min-bet, mainly to disguise my draw hand.

I have some bad news for you. EVERY POOR POKER PLAYER IN THE WORLD min-bets with a flush draw. All of them. To the exttent that nowadays I read a minbet on a drawing flop as 100% certain to be a flush draw.

You have a nice hand here - TPNK but lots and lots of outs. You can check here if you want, but why not lead properly? Make the other guy have to make decisions. FWIW, his minraise does indeed tell you he has top pair (and that he's a complete fish giving you odds to call), so you have a good hand and lots of info.

Good response biondino, thats a good example of how a good player can garnish lots of information about an opponent and his hand if he's aware enough to take notice.

I would suggest though that you should take some decisive action on the river here. This minraise, minraise, minraise stuff isn't so good. Once he raises your bet you should make it at least $2.50 or even $3. He likes his hand, make him pay to show it down.

Staying calm just comes with experience, eventually you get so used to it that it takes effort to slow yourself down and think for a second because you're so sure you know exactly what to do in all situations.

Congratulations! on increasing your bankroll approx. 30x and you got the nuts and someone to pay it off.
1 I like your intial bet on the river. I would have increased the 1st reraise to bring it to 1.50.
2 Know the nuts at all times and don't be afraid to bet with them on the 5nl tables. With some more experience you will feel more comfortable with the amount of money on the table.

biondino is spot on with the min bet flush draw read, I see it alot on the 10nl paradise tables and party's 25nl tables. I thought the other guy had the Kc.

Most players on party's 5nl tables are terrible, so you don't have to get very tricky.

I might lead for more on the flop, build a juicier pot if you hit and justify getting more money in on later streets.

Also, as flomo says, re-raise stronger on the river. not by lots, but enough. Say when he raises you 38c more, come over the top of him for 80c-$1.25

As for learning what to do with the nuts, that comes with experience. First thing to do though is ignore that clock. Work out in your head what you want to do and do it. Obviously you are slightly restrained, but don't panic about it. Try and think what you will do one street ahead, but take your time over every decision.

Thanks for the advice guys.

As far as the river betting that was what felt wrong from the start. I was just hitting that re-raise button and hoping he didn't stop to think about it.

I'll definitely try to be more determined on my bets. I obviously have to work on my balance.
Case in point, my AKs hit both K and two suited cards. I'd raised the pot and re-raised so it was a $1.52 pot and I overbet it and everyone folded straight away...

As for the flush-draw tell, that's just soooo valuable. I had no idea; it really makes me grateful that most of my opponents are even fishier than I am

My first day on Party and I'm up a few dollars and got 20% of those raked hands played and now I've learned a bit more too. Good day

Everytime you minbet a draw, god kills a kitten.

Originally Posted by Rondavu

Everytime you minbet a draw, god kills a kitten.

Ha. Well I'm more of a dog person anyway...

Originally Posted by biondino

EVERY POOR POKER PLAYER IN THE WORLD min-bets with a flush draw.

Heh, something I have noticed myself too lol

It's kinda like "I want to chase this draw and I'd pay a minraise for it.. but I'm afraid someone might try to bluf me out of it if I just check.. so I'll just throw the minraise myself.. so clever of me!"