Part: Part Four - Pot Odds & Hand Analysis

Make the draw pay

Pre-flop
Blinds 100 / 200Pot 300 (1.5 BB)COA♣K♦● 20,000 (100 BB)YOUfolded to youSB● 20,000 (100 BB)posts 100 (0.5 BB)BB● 20,000 (100 BB)posts 200 (1 BB)D

It folds to you on the cutoff with A♣K♦. You raise and the big blind calls.

Folded to you with A♣K♦ on the cutoff. Best?

WhyRaise to open. A-K is a premium opening hand; raise for value and to take the blinds.
What happensYou raise to 500 (2.5 BB); the big blind calls.  Pot: 1,200 (6 BB).
Flop
Heads-upPot 1,200 (6 BB)A♥9♥4♣COA♣K♦● 20,000 (100 BB)YOUtop pair, top kicker (flush draw out there)BB● 20,000 (100 BB)Big blindchecksD

Flop: A♥ 9♥ 4♣ - you flop top pair, top kicker, but two hearts mean a flush draw is live. The big blind checks.

A flush draw is ~19% to hit the next card (~4-to-1). What sizing best denies it the right price?

WhyBet about two-thirds to full pot. A flush draw needs roughly 4-to-1 to call for one card; a 1/4-pot bet lays it 5-to-1 (a price it loves), while a 2/3-pot bet lays only ~2.5-to-1 - far worse than its ~19% deserves. Betting big enough makes the draw pay too much to continue.
What happensYou bet 900 (about 3/4 pot); the big blind calls.  Pot: 3,000 (15 BB).
Turn
Heads-upPot 3,000 (15 BB)A♥9♥4♣2♠COA♣K♦● 20,000 (100 BB)YOUtop pair, top kicker; the heart missedBB● 20,000 (100 BB)Big blindchecksD

Turn: 2♠ - the flush misses. He checks again.

The draw bricked; you still have top pair, top kicker. Best?

WhyBet again. Your hand is best and a draw may still be peeling; a second solid bet extracts value and continues to charge any remaining draw a bad price. Checking lets a heart draw see the river for free.
What happensYou bet 2,000; he calls, the river bricks, and your top pair holds.  You win.
With the best hand against a draw, you sized your bets to deny the draw correct odds - a big enough bet that a ~19% flush draw was overpaying - and kept charging it until it missed. Protection is just pot odds used in reverse.

When you hold the best hand against a draw, bet enough that the draw is paying more than its equity is worth - deny it the correct price.