When aggressive play can pay

Open-raising with less-than-premium hands can be profitable in several ways.

For one thing, you might win the pot uncontested. For another, you tend to get action when you raise with big holdings.

Yet another important result of aggressive play is that you can win a big pot by hitting a surprise hand, as veteran pro Billy Baxter showed in this hand from the 2009 World Series of Poker $10,000-buy-in main event at Las Vegas’ Rio Hotel.

With blinds at $100-$200, Baxter made it $600 to go from middle position with the 10-7 of hearts.

“Aside from about two guys, this table was playing pretty tight,” said Baxter, who has won seven WSOP bracelets. “If you limp, the two guys behind me were liable to raise me with anything, so I chose to raise because I want to play the hand and I don’t want to show weakness with it.”

Baxter got a call from the player in Seat 6, one of the opponents Baxter considered aggressive. Two-handed, they took a flop of 9-A-4, two hearts, giving Baxter a flush draw and backdoor straight draw. Both players checked. The turn came the jack of clubs.

“I bet out $1,000 because he showed weakness by checking it behind me,” said Baxter, a pro from the doylesroom.com site. “I just wanted to bet enough so that if he didn’t have anything, he would fold. I didn’t see any reason to put more at risk. If he had something and called, I had a good draw.

“I play my flush draws different ways. Sometimes I play them a little faster. It’s how you feel about your situation. I try to mix it up.

“When I picked up the straight draw and the flush draw, I figured it was a good spot to bet on the come. I’d have been happy to pick up the pot there. You’re not looking for business when you don’t have anything. But I didn’t care if I got a call, because I knew if I made my hand, I might win a good bet on the end.”

Seat 6 called. The river came the king of hearts, completing Baxter’s flush. Baxter led out $3,000.

“Once he called on the turn, I figured he had something,” Baxter said. “So when I made my flush, I figured I could make a little bigger bet. I made a bigger bet than a lot of people were making at the time because I wanted to make it look like I might be bluffing and trying to steal the pot. I figured if he had a pair, he’d call.”

Seat 6 called, then mucked his hand when he saw Baxter’s hearts.

“I think that’s the way to play against an aggressive player if you make something,” Baxter said. “He was the kind of guy who didn’t like to throw his hand away.”

Table talk

Middle position: In a nine-handed game, generally seats 4, 5 and 6 during a given betting round.

srosenbloom@tribune.com