DECISION POINT: UTG raises preflop, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, and you call with J♦8♦. The other players fold and it’s four to the flop. The flop comes A♦K♣10♦. UTG checks, MP1 bets, and MP2 calls. Action is on you, what do you do?

PRO ANSWER: When holding a draw and facing a bet, the first step you should take is to calculate your pot odds. In this case, there is 5500 already in the pot and it costs us 1500 to call. If we choose to call, there will be 7000 total in the pot going to the turn. Without taking into account any future betting, if we hit our draw 1500/7000 or about 21% of the time, this call will show a profit.

We have a flush draw and gutshot straight draw, so we have 12 outs. Using the Rule of 2, we have about a 24% chance of hitting on the turn (12 x 2 = 24). Even if we discount the king of diamonds as an out (since it pairs the board), we still have a 22% chance of hitting on the turn. Since our chance of hitting is greater than our breakeven equity given the pot odds, calling with our draw is profitable. This eliminates folding as an option.

What about raising?

One of the primary benefits of raising would be to induce folds from your opponents. Since this is a multiway pot (4 players on the flop), the chance of getting all opponents to fold is very low. Therefore raising would simply put more money into the pot when we are behind.

We should take the profitable pot odds we are getting and call the flop bet with our draw.