drawing to the nuts... and getting there

I love drawing to the nuts... and getting there.

On the button, with J, T off-suit, I limped behind 6 callers. Small blind completed and the big blind checked and we took the flop 8 handed.

A, Q, rag hit the board, with two clubs. An early position player bet, and there were two callers to me.

There were 10 small bets in the pot (5 big bets), and I was about 11 to 1 to catch my inside straight on the turn, so the pot was laying me a nice price. The only problem was that any club might kill my hand, so I couldn't count on the King of clubs. Still, the game was playing loose-passive, so I thought it likely a few more players would call behind, making the price even better.

They didn't disappoint, and 5 of us saw the 8 of diamonds hit the turn, giving me a double-belly buster straight draw (any 9 or K makes my hand, both of which would be the nut straight).

The action was bet and raised to me. With 9.5 big bets in the pot, if everyone folded behind me and there were no more raises, it was close to a break-even call (I'm about 5 to 1 to make the straight, and the pot is laying me 9.5 to 2 on the call, which is 4.75 to 1). Of course, the 9 or king of clubs might make my straight while making someone else a flush, reducing my odds a bit.

But, there were a few things to keep in mind: if I made my straight, it would be the nut straight. If I made it with the 9 or king of clubs, I might lose to a flush, but I might not. Also, I figured at least one other player to cold call the action, and knew the bettor to be somewhat passive -- I didn't think he would make it 3 bets. I also knew that if I made my hand, I would get paid off, creating some implied odds.

I called the two bets, as did another player, and the initial better just called, putting 14.5 big bets in the pot.

The beautiful king of spades hit the river, making me the nuts. It was checked to me, I bet, and got called in two spots.

Every call I made in this hand was close to neutral, meaning that over the long haul, calling or folding would yield close to the same result (in this case, in large part because of the possible flush draw). But, with a draw to the nut hand, it's a lot easier to take a card off, since getting there means stacking the pot.