Chasing … and catching

Chasing flush draws is no way to make a living … unless pot odds dictate that you do so.

Here's an example of a hand where I got in a little deep and then decided I needed to finish what I started.

Stacks:
UTG+1 with 1305
MP1 with 2363
MP2 with 2547
MP3 with 1765
CO with 1460
BTN with 1035
SB with 1400
BB with 1625
UTG with 1555

Blinds: 25-50
Site: Full Tilt Poker
Dealt to CO: 8♦ 7♦
Sklansky group 5
Preflop:
3 players fold.
MP2 calls [50]
1 players fold.
Hero calls [50]
BTN calls [50]
BB checks
1 players folded.
Total folds this street: 5
Potsize: 225

There had been a lot of limping, so I felt that the chance I would be raised off this hand preflop was pretty slim.

Flop: 7♥ 2♦ K♦
BB checks
MP2 bets [225]
1 players fold.
Hero calls [225]

This could be considered a loose call since it was for about 15 percent of my chips, but I had middle pair to go with the flush draw. If I had had just the flush draw, I likely would have mucked right here.

BTN raises to 985, and is all in
2 players fold.
Hero calls [760]

Now I think I'm committed. If he has a pair, I have nine flush cards plus two sevens and three eights that will give me the pot. There was more than 1,600 in the pot, so I was getting better than 2-to-1 on my call. And if I had 14 outs, that meant I was almost even money to win the pot.

BTN shows: K♣ 10♦
Hero shows: 8♦ 7♦
Potsize: 2420

Turn: 6♥
River: 8♣

BTN shows a pair of Kings
Hero shows two pair, Eights and Sevens Hero wins the pot (2,420) with two pair, Eights and Sevens

I win. A happy ending for all. Well, all except the button, I suppose.

Current bankroll: $1,128.

OPR ranking: 98.19.