Passive or Agressive with draws?????

[wesrman]

Is it better to be aggressive and bet draws or be passive and try to play them cheap/ and maybe get payed off big??
I usually play them aggressive, but sometimes feel like i don't get full value out of them because a lot of the time everyone folds (which isn't really a bad thing).

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $0.05 BB (8 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver Cards)

UTG ($8.74)
UTG+1 ($0.96)
MP1 ($16.27)
Hero ($5.38)
CO ($3.50)
Button ($0.52)
SB ($3.91)
BB ($8.38)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with , .
1 fold, UTG+1 calls $0.05, 1 fold, Hero calls $0.05, 3 folds, BB checks.

Flop: ($0.17) , , (3 players)
BB checks, UTG+1 checks, Hero bets $0.15, BB folds, UTG+1 folds.

Final Pot: $0.17

Results in white below:
No showdown. Hero wins $0.17.

[XTR1000]

If u want to bet/raise your draws depends on different factors:

- Folding equity. While c/c could be profitable, bet or raise could be more +ev due to the equity u gain when opponent folds

- Block betting, which is highly overrated on earlier streets. Means ur betting out, laying yourself correct odds to draw, when villian isnt strong enough to raise but could have bet big enough to make u fold when checked to. Only works versus passives.

- Balance. When ur raisng the flop or turn only with 2pr+ hands ur exploitable and allow your opposition to play more correctly. Playing 9+ outs draws as u would play a set makes u harder to read and to exploit


As for the hand:

Flop is fine. But dont make a habit of limping AXs in MP. Its marginal at best at really passive tables, but ur getting raised off your hand by BTN/CO/HJ raises too often and a flush usually doesnt have enough implied odds in limped pots to make up for the times u miss/get raised. Id rather wait for the BTN/CO and raise them.

[wesrman]

But dont make a habit of limping AXs in MP.

The only reason i'm limping here is to not be seen as a complete nit. This way at least i'm seen as playing some hands other than just premiums.

[XTR1000]

i see ur point. raising wider IP is the better option

[Deanglow]

I would bet a lot less than you did on the flop (half pot is fine) so worse draws are not discouraged.

[Dave K]

ye i agree, i like to bet around 2/3 of pot in situations like this to garantee that other draws will call, but i suppose at this level they will call PSB with gutshots

[Fnord]

So standard. .15 is the least I would bet here, over-betting the flop works out great in these spots.

Sometimes I raise this pre-flop too.

[Jimmy Mac]

Isolate and destroy maybe wont work too well at 5nl, so I actually like the limp. I think this hand is well played.

[Fnord]

Even in loose/passive games I think you should raise a spot like this every ten or twenty orbits or so.