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It’s easy to push your advantage when you’re holding a big pocket pair before the flop.  And there’s a very good chance you could have the advantage after the flop hits the board.  However, it is much tougher deciding what to do when you’ve only got a drawing hand.  It is so tough that many players decide to limp in before the flop and on the flop, then fold as soon as their draw doesn’t hit.  But the key to playing draws correctly is to play them as aggressively as possible.  Here is a look at how to do so.

Advantages of being Aggressive

When you limp in with a draw, the only way you’re going to win is by hitting your hand.  You’re unlikely to bluff an opponent if you merely call everything that comes your way.  However, if you raise with a drawing hand on the flop, you can either win by making your opponent fold to the raise, or by hitting your hand if the opponent calls.  In either case, you have one more chance to win the pot by playing your draw aggressively.

An Example

Just knowing the advantages of playing a draw isn’t enough so here’s an example of how to properly handle one.  Assume you are in a $3/$6 game of No-Limit Hold’em and you’ve got a $200 stack while holding 7c-8c in late position.  The flop is 2c-Qd-4c and your opponent bets $14 into a $9 pot.  Everyone else folds leaving you with the decision of whether or not to call. 

In this situation, you’ve got to consider that your opponent has a set of queens at best which will be a winner if your draw doesn’t hit.  If your opponent doesn’t have a set of queens, and you raise, then they may think you have a set of queens.  Even if you don’t, you could still force them to fold.