If you have read my book, The No B.S. Guide To Winning Online No Limit Texas Hold'em, or read any of my blogs, you know that I have written extensively about the large number of online players who will play ANY two suited cards and chase down any flush draw. However, there are some things that you need to be aware of for chasing down your own flush draws that tend to be more exclusive to internet poker.

I am not going to get into pot odds in this particular blog. I am going to assume that you at least have a basic understanding of what pot odds are, what they entail, and how to figure them as you play a hand. Instead, what I am going to do is talk about a few tricks that you can employ when you are looking at a flush draw, that doesn't always have to do with pot odds.

First, whether or not you play many various suited combinations should depend largely upon the table you are sitting at. Online, you are going to need to try and limp in wither hands like 8-7 suited or J-T suited as much as possible. You do not want to put in large raises pre-flop to play these hands. Why?

Well, mainly because you are going to be up against players playing a huge variety of hands against you. What this means is that you will probably need to hit a "home run" on the flop, or at least a triple! You are probably not going to be able to push two or more players out of a hand unless you actually hit or have a great draw. A flop of K-T-2 rainbow is just too likely to have paired up something for somebody due to the variety of starting hands players will play in online No Limit Hold'em. So, don't spend a ton of money to play these hands pre-flop. It is just not worth it and you will most times not be able to dig your way out if the flop is a blank for you.

Keeping this in mind, choose your spots to limp in with suited cards wisely. If you are at an aggressive table and feel like playing 6-7 suited from early position, forget about it. Someone is going to come over the top with a raise that you don't want to have to call. However, if I feel I am at a table of limpers, I will try to see as many flops as I can hoping to hit a monster. In other words, limp until someone tells you you can't!

Another thing that you can do, again depending upon the players at your table, is drive your hand hard after the flop. Here is what I see time after time from players on a flush draw: The flop comes Kc-8c-2h. A player leads out into a pot of $350 with a $50 bet.

If he is playing at a table with me, he is going to get slammed hard with a big raise because it is obvious that he is on a flush draw and hopes that he can see the Turn card on the cheap. This is an obvious attempt to dictate the action by a player either on a flush draw or who has hit a monster. Either way, a raise will qualify the hand right away.

A better play is to accept a free card where you can if you are on a flush draw, or make a continuation-type bet that is substantial enough to make the other players think. You might be surprised at how many times your opponents will fold to a 1/2 size-pot bet or larger when you are on your flush draw. If they don't, you will at least get to see the Turn without it costing you a big raise. Whatever you do, you need to do it with regards to the players playing at your table at that particular time and you need to disguise it as best as you can.

Another thing to remember is know when to fold. Ok, I said I wouldn't talk about pot odds, but you have got to know when not to chase. For example, if you have Ts-9s and the flop comes As-5s-2h, what to you do when you are re-raised all-in by a single opponent? I hope you fold in most cases because you are just not getting anywhere near the proper odds to call this bet and chase down your flush. If you and your opponent have a similar chip stack early in a tournament, you will be getting roughly 2:1 on your money. Your odds of drawing the flush are worse than that. Resist the temptation. Yes, you may hit it, but the odds say you will bust out more than you hit, making this a poor play. You will find a better place to get all your chips in the pot later on, trust me. You will also separate yourself from the majority of fish playing online poker be knowing when to chase and when not to.