Nut flush draw on flop

[holdem_newbie]

Can someone please advise me on how to play when you have the nut flush draw on the flop?
I've noticed recently that I should be winning a lot more hands than I have been due to the fact that I get scared off by a big bet on the flop even though I have the nut flush draw. Should I call a big raise hoping for the flush to come on the turn or river or am I right to be folding and not taking the risk?
Is this also a good chance to bluff the opposition into thinking that you already have a flush?

[Staresy]

IMHO .... if u are first to act, u should fire a bet at the pot and try and take it there.

If u are not the first to act and someone else has bet at the pot, u should only really call if u are getting 4:1 on your money (as this is the odds of u hitting the flush on the next card). Of course, you have a little leeway here because, if you do hit the nut flush, you are going to win a lot more than 4:1 (implied odds)

If u are not the first to act and it is checked to you, I guess you could either bet to try and take the pot down there and then or take the free card, try and hit the flush for free.

Anyway, that's my $0.02 worth...

[hagakure]

I agree with staresy.

Bet when it comes to you. If your opponent thinks you already have the flush there's a chance he's either made it too or is on a draw. Either way, he will be drawing dead if you made the nuts providing nothing else comes out that can help him.

Even if he doesnt think that, let him think that you're on a draw. A smart player will know the outstanding odds of making a flush on the next card and would be very careful.

Of course, take your own liberty to change these recommendations based on the table, player tendancies, and limits.

[Molinero]

You have to vary your play on this one.

If you play with the same gang frequently, they'll pick up on this pattern more quickly than almost any other. You simply can't bet a flush draw every time like you can TPTK -- otherwise, they'll put on the brakes every time the 3rd heart makes your flush.


Of course, the flip side is that you can play that to your advantage!

[RiverMonkey]

You're getting 1.86:1 to hit your flush BY THE RIVER, however Staresy is right ... you have to look at the odds of hitting it on the next card in no-limit because you could be facing a huge bet on the turn if you miss. Implied odds & folding equity make this less cut & dry however.

If you are first to act or it's checked around to you on the flop you can take it down right there with a semi-bluff if the board texture is right, and your opponents don't have enough of a connection to the board to continue.

Or, here's another play: if you think the pot is laying you the "right price", and you are last to act, you could put in a semi-bluff raise, so that if the turn doesn't give you the flush you might get to see the river card for free. The 'right price' depends on other things besides your flush draw e.g. what your is side-card is;is it an overcard to the board, or does it give you other draws too etc? Also, it depends on how many players are left in the hand, and what range of hands you put them on.

Again, the simplest play is to just release your hand unless the immediate pot odds justify seeing the next card. But, given that it's the nut flush you often have to consider other alternatives. This is consisten with the other advice to 'vary your play', but that's only relevant in the context of observant opponents.

[Spook]

Side note: remember that if the board is paired, catching your nut flush could cost you a LOT of money.

[melinda27]

if i'm first to act it means i'm holding something like AJ, AQ, AK so i probably have 13-14 outs i'm most likely a favorite to win the hand at this point so of course i'm betting out about 2/3 of the pot. If its checked to me but there are others to act behind me i probably have the same hands as above but i could also have played AT under the right circumstances so i probably dont have 2 overcards to the flop so i'll bet out a little more than the pot and hope to take it down right there and if i'm called i know i'm up against something and its either hit the flush on the turn or go into check/fold mode. Last to act being checked to me i could have any AXs garbage so i'll bet the pot hoping to take it down right there, but I wont go into check/fold mode if the turn hits me at all i'll make a continuation bet of about 2/3 the pot more often then not I can get that pot right there. Now if i'm in late position with a bet pot sized or less in front of me i'm definetly raising in hopes of a free river card if i miss my flush on the turn this usually makes for an interesting situation because when the flush comes on the turn, a check will usually induce a bluff on the river by the villain, but when the flush misses the turn and hits on the river its usually not as easy to get a bet called so i like to fire out a half pot bet as fast as i can on the river