Straight Flush

Up until a few weeks ago my best hand ever had been quad aces. I was yet to get a straight flush until I hit one with jack-ten of diamonds on PokerStars last month. My first straight flush in APL came last Thursday in my regular game at the Shafston.

It was just after the break and I had around 3500 in chips. I was one off under the gun and called the blinds of 200 with 7-8 diamonds hoping to see a cheap flop. There were 2 other callers and then the big blind (an aggressive player) raised 3 times the blind. I figured the other 2 callers would come along and I didn't really want to fold for just 400 more. The flops comes and its exactly what I wanted to see, all diamonds (5, 6, king) and giving me the open-ended straight flush draw. Big blind is first to act and throws out a little continuation bet of 200 so I re-raise to 1000 ... knowing that if another diamond comes my two diamonds are that strong anymore. I get a caller from a big stack on the other side of the table and I put him on the ace of diamonds (with some other non-diamond card). The next comes out the 4 of diamonds giving me the straight flush and hopefully the other guy the ace-high flush. I'm tempted to double check I have the straight flush first but throw out another 1000 hoping he'll instantly call. But, much to my delight he instead puts me all-in thinking he has the nut flush. I insta-call of course and surprise him by turning over the straight flush 4 - 8 which he never saw coming. Dream scenario for me and he's drawing dead on the river.