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• In Poker What Is Better Flush Or A Straight

'Something out of a fantasy, this hand.'

The Straight Flush is number one on the list of poker hand rankings and consists of five consecutive cards in the same suit. The best straight flush possible is called the Royal Flush and is made up of A-K-Q-J-10 all in the same suit.

So said Dan 'Jungleman' Cates of a hand he played against Phil Ivey. Indeed, the hand was wild enough both Ivey and Cates had to take a picture of it at the end — something two players who have seen and experienced just about everything possible at the poker table rarely do.

Cates discussed the hand with David Lappin and Dara O'Kearney recently on a new strategy segment for the The Chip Race podcast.

You can hear the discussion with an the animated video below. Here's a quick rundown of the action and what the trio talk about in the analysis.

The Hand

It was a high-stakes no-limit hold'em cash game in Montenegro, played at HK$10,000/HK$20,000 (i.e., around $1,275/$2,550 USD) with everyone deep with around HK$3 million in their stacks.

Action began with Cates opening to HK$50,000 from the button with and Ivey calling from the small blind. The big blind then reraised to HK$200,000 and both Cates and Ivey called.

The conversation begins with Cates and O'Kearney discussing the potential profitability of his calling the raise with 5-3-suited, with all agreeing the circumstances were such that the call was recommended.

The flop came . Ivey checked, the big blind bet HK$200,000, and Cates and Ivey both called.

Assessing play on the flop, Cates talks about how he might have raised with his bottom pair and gutshot draw to a wheel. In particular, he notes how he has more A-3 and A-4 combinations in his range than does the preflop three-bettor, as well as more pocket threes or fours.

'Both me and the small blind [Ivey] have way more nuts, comparatively speaking, when we're this deep,' explains Cates, though ultimately he decides a call here is fine as well.

The turn then brought the and it checked to Cates who bet HK$800,000 or two-thirds pot, and only Ivey called.

Here in his analysis Cates focuses mostly on hands he blocks and how they give him a little extra equity.

The river was the , making the board and giving Cates a straight flush. Ivey checked, and Cates bet about one-third pot or HK$900,000 into the HK$2,800,000 pot.

At this stage they talk about Ivey's range of possible holdings and what kind of bet sizing would work best for Cates to earn value by getting Ivey to call with some hands and perhaps raise with others.

As it happened, Ivey did raise — all in (!) — and Cates of course called.

Watch and Listen

Take a look below to hear the entire analysis, as well as to see the photo Cates snapped of the hand:

The Chip Race is a weekly podcast sponsored by Unibet Poker, and can be heard on iTunes and anywhere else you listen to podcasts. Follow David Lappin on Twitter @dklappin and Dara O'Kearney @daraokearney.

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In Poker What Is Better Flush Or A Straight

• Tags

  cash game strategyno-limit hold’emDan CatesPhil IveyDavid LappinDara O’Kearneypreflop strategypostflop strategyvalue bettingdrawing handssemi-bluffingpositionvideo

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  Unibet Poker

• Related Players

  Phil IveyDan CatesDavid LappinDara O'Kearney