Peeling with Gutters

The last few days I've done something that I rarely do regarding the use of Holdem Manager. I usually always have HM up and I am checking out stats throughout the session. The things I am checking are whether or not I am winning or losing, how often I am hitting sets, general VPIP/PFR info, graphs, EV adjusted stats and how many pts I have received. Well, the last couple of days, I haven't checked it at all. I'm not sure if I like it or not; but it definitely makes me concentrate more on the game and the individual hands and not worry about the session. I know how long it takes me to get to my 200 points so I don't really need to keep checking HM to tell me that. So now or at least the last couple of days, I don't look at my HM until x amount of time has gone by where I normally get my 200 pts. It's a small sample obviously; but I have good sessions so I will probably try it a couple more times.

OK, the topic of the day. When is it good to peel the flop with a gutterball straight draw? First, let's take a look at a hand.

Full Tilt Poker $0.25/$0.50 Pot Limit Hold'em - 9 players - http://www.thehandconverter.com/hands/114014
The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter

UTG+1: $20.15
UTG+2: $32.10
MP1: $50.25
MP2: $74.65
Hero (CO): $50.00
BTN: $17.45
SB: $64.45
BB: $33.70
UTG: $53.95

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is CO with 6d 8d
3 folds, MP1 raises to $1.75, 1 fold, Hero calls $1.75, 3 folds

First, I don't mind playing these suited one gappers in position especially against tight guys as in the case where the villain was a 10/5 guy.

Flop: ($4.25) 7d Jh Ts (2 players)
MP1 bets $3, Hero calls $3

This is not a really bad flop for me in my opinion; but obviously not the best. One, I do have the gutterball straight draw, a backdoor flush draw and generally just a scary board for the preflop raiser. In my opinion, our stacks are deep enough to peel a card here. Thoughts?


Turn: ($10.25) 9s (2 players)
MP1 checks, Hero bets $6.60, MP1 calls $6.60

Bingo, I hit my card. Standard bet here, I think... maybe even if I didn't hit my straight. OK, he calls, what are putting him on? Sounds like a big pair, flush draw. Of course not having the nut straight is always scary.

River: ($23.45) 7s (2 players)
MP1 checks, Hero ??

Do you bet here? How much do you bet? Does a bet commit your stack here?


This was one of my first hands. Ironically, somebody hit a gutter on me a few hands later; but I finished ahead in the deal by a whopping $1.25 so I have that going for me.

So that should do it for today, short and sweet.

Cmitch, have a good day!!!