blonde poker forum

Interesting position I think because it occurs again and again.  I have top pair with nut flush draw, and feel I misplayed it a bit.  Pre-flop scrofulou was playing very loose and for some reason loved to minimum reraise out of position then bet the flop.  I'm trying to decide if raising is the correct play, and if so how much?   I don't really want to chase people out so perhaps calling is better, however having the As it would mean that getting paid would be very difficult if another spade came.  Also have to consider the player acting behind me and a call may induce him to call with a possible high spade.   

I'm leaning towards a smaller raise, to £115 maybe?   

-----HAND 36------
Game #1659897024: Hold'em NL (£2/£5) - 2006/02/06 - 20:39:25 (ET)
Table "Valdez" Seat 6 is the button.
Seat 1: scrofulou (£552.12 in chips)
Seat 2: p.ivey (£546.75 in chips)
Seat 3: 13Black (£320.80 in chips)
Seat 4: HappyMeal (£503 in chips)
Seat 5: WChief (£536.50 in chips)
Seat 6: Mr.Sloan (£349.83 in chips)
scrofulou: posts small blind £2
p.ivey: posts big blind £5
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to WChief [Jd As]
13Black: calls £5
HappyMeal: folds
WChief: raises to £20
Mr.Sloan: calls £20
scrofulou: raises to £35
p.ivey: folds
13Black: folds
WChief: calls £15
Mr.Sloan: calls £15
----- FLOP ----- [7s Js 5s]
scrofulou: bets £50
WChief: raises to £175
Mr.Sloan: folds
scrofulou: folds
Returned uncalled bets £125 to WChief
WChief: doesn't show hand
WChief collects £212 from Main pot
----- SUMMARY -----
Total pot £215 Main pot £212 Rake £3
Board [7s Js 5s]
Seat 1: scrofulou (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 2: p.ivey (big blind) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: 13Black folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: HappyMeal folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: WChief collected £212
Seat 6: Mr.Sloan (button) folded on the Flop

Given the strength of your hand I am not sure a raise here is required at all especially against an aggressive opponent who likes to try to control the action by raising preflop and making continuation bets. I think that you may have allowed him to get away cheap here. If a flat call brings a spade on the turn then you probably arn't getting anymore out of him but he may take another stab at the pot. You could very easily have the best hand on the flop and depending on the turn your  Aspades holding gives you the opportunity to move him off the pot if needed.
Usually A TPTK holding requires a bet or raise on the flop to either protect it or at least define your situation a little better. Given your redraw to the nuts here tho I think the bet is not necessarily the maximising play against this type of player.