Understanding Poker Bet Sizing: Part One
28/01/09 07:17 Filed in: Poker Strategy
Poker players must be able to constantly adapt to the flow of a game in order to come out on top. A large part of this concerns one of the most important aspects of bankroll management: bet sizing. Here are a few tips to help you out.
The first aspect of poker bet sizing to consider is the goal of your bet. It’s important to make a choice between bulking up your chips or the more strategic usage of betting as a method of knocking competitors out of the game.
Those who fall into the latter category need to place conservative bets for almost the entire game. Larger bets should be kept to almost a complete minimum and be used only in situations where opponents are very likely to be beat out. Perfect hands and predictable competitors make up some of the only situations where big bets become a good option within this strategy. Resisting aggressive play and exercising a lot of restraint with bet sizing is advisable for winning through these means.
If you’re looking only to increase your chip count then it becomes more important to only place larger bets on hands which stand a very small chance of being beaten out. Bets should remain conservative until the river has revealed a nearly unbeatable combination with your pocket. The only major difference between this outlook and non pot-centred play is the allowance of occasional expensive bets when the situation allows.
The first aspect of poker bet sizing to consider is the goal of your bet. It’s important to make a choice between bulking up your chips or the more strategic usage of betting as a method of knocking competitors out of the game.
Those who fall into the latter category need to place conservative bets for almost the entire game. Larger bets should be kept to almost a complete minimum and be used only in situations where opponents are very likely to be beat out. Perfect hands and predictable competitors make up some of the only situations where big bets become a good option within this strategy. Resisting aggressive play and exercising a lot of restraint with bet sizing is advisable for winning through these means.
If you’re looking only to increase your chip count then it becomes more important to only place larger bets on hands which stand a very small chance of being beaten out. Bets should remain conservative until the river has revealed a nearly unbeatable combination with your pocket. The only major difference between this outlook and non pot-centred play is the allowance of occasional expensive bets when the situation allows.
