I've been thinking about trying a play that I'll call a "phantom draw," and I wonder people think it's stupid or reasonably likely to succeed.

Here is the general scenario. Let's say you're in mid- to late position and you have a hand like 44 or small suited connectors. There are two callers before you, and you limp in. Then the BB raises to 3 bets, the other limpers call, and you decide to call as well. So 4 players see the flop with 12 bets in it.

Now the flop comes and it completely misses you. However, it does present a good draw, like a flush draw or a straight draw, but it's not a draw for you based on the cards your holding. For example sake, let's say the flop is A high, with two other suited cards not related in any way to yours.

The original raiser bets out, but he bets in a way that would make it correct to call IF YOU HAD THE DRAW PRESENTED. If that happens, and if the other players fold, my thought is to call the bet and then represent the draw, if it hits, by betting big. In other words, play the hand as if you had the draw and see if you can get the raiser to release his hand if the draw hits on the turn or the river.

Here are the conditions for trying the play:

1. Once the raiser bets, you must be sure that you can continue to play with the raiser heads up. In other words, you don't want to be competing for the pot with someone else who may actually have the draw.

2. You must have a pretty good idea of what the raiser's hand is by your observation of his play, making you fairly certain that he is not playing the draw or something that could beat the draw.

3. You're betting pattern must be consistent with playing a draw.

4. The draw must be obvious to the raiser (i.e., flushes are more obvious than gutshot straights).

5. You have the pot odds to try to hit the draw.

6. You think the raiser is capable of laying down a hand.


Well, what do you think? Too many conditions to try to run this bluff?