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Rainbow – Unsuited cards.
The term rainbow can be used to describe any run of unsuited cards. It is most frequently used to describe a
flop which contains three different suits. Because a
flop is composed of exactly three cards, there are three distinct possibilities for suit alignment. Each of these different suit
alignments can have an impact on each player’s hand strength. This, in turn, affects strategy and the play of the hand.
The first suit alignment possibility is that you have a
suited flop. This means that all three cards are of the same suit.
This is the rarest of the three types, and when it appears, the strategic implications are significant. The most obvious impact of a suited flop is that a
flush is now possible for anyone holding two hole
cards of the same suit. A completed flush is a strong hand, which means that anyone choosing to continue in the face of strong
action should have a legitimate
draw to
suck out. Had the flop not been suited, it would
likely be easier for the field to draw. In other words, the field of players has to respect the power on the board. This makes it easier to
bluff or bet position with a suited flop, provided that
no one holds the completed flush. These are just a few of the strategic implications of having a suited flop.
The second suit alignment possibility is that you have a flop which contains two suited cards along with one card of a different suit.
This means that while no flush can be completed yet, there is the possibility for a flush draw to be present. Flush draws, while not
as powerful as completed flushes, can be strong hands on the flop, especially the nut flush draw. Flush draw flops often lead to more
aggressive flop betting than other flop types. This is because it is often correct for a player who is holding a flush draw to
raise or reraise on the flop. Suited and flush draw
flops also present a danger for players who have made hands weaker than a flush, like a
straight, a
set, or two pair. This sometimes leads to more
aggressive betting , as the made hands try to force out the weaker draws.
The third possibility for suit alignment is a rainbow flop. This is a flop which contains three different suits. A rainbow flop is
ideal for weaker made hands, like top pair,
especially if the flop cards are also not paired or consecutive. If you flop a straight or a set, you are in a much strong position
with a rainbow flop than you would be with either a suited flop or a flush draw flop. These are just a few examples of the strategic
implications of suit alignment on the flop.
The term “rainbow” can also be used to describe a rainbow
board, on either the
turn or the
river. A rainbow board is a board where no flush can
be possible. This means that when the term is used on the turn, it is usually used to describe a four card board, each with different
suits. On the turn, any other suit alignment would lead to either a flush or a flush draw as a possibility. When the term is used on
the river it also means that no flush is possible. Here, it simply means that there are no more than two cards of any one suit on the
board.
Usage: Rainbow Flop, Rainbow Board, Four Card Rainbow
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