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If betting becomes disproportionately large during a prolonged spell
of cash table play, at best you may be on the right end of it,
at worst one or more players will be taking a beating.
Generally this article's viewpoint considers proportioning bets for
players making the opening bet or raise in No Limit and Pot Limit poker.
The times when a player should consider the proportion of a bet they may
call is covered in the pot odds
page.
The bet should mostly be proportional to the current pot size, with a
consideration of the possible pot size if the hand progresses.
If a bet is proportioned intending to add value to a pot;
- the bettor must have a high degree of confidence in their
hand.
- the bettor must consider the proportion of the pot that
their opponent is likely to call and bet an enticing amount.
A bet proportioned to steal a pot assumes the bettor lacks
confidence in their own hand, but has an opinion on their
opponents weakness.
- the bettor should consider an amount that is unlikely to
be called, but one that they are prepared to lose. The bet should
relate to the current pot size; there is no sense
in betting 3,000 chips to win 30, on a perception of weakness.
If a bet is proportioned to take a pot early to
prevent other
players from drawing;
- the bettor should consider the possible draws opponents
may have and bet a proportionately large amount that does not
give their opponents the odds to call.
- the bettor should also consider the amount of chips they
are prepared to lose if their opponent does make a successful
'judgment' call.
Pre-flop
As a general rule, be reasonable in your betting.
If, with a good starting hand your early bet is too strong, you
risk scaring other players away and winning only the blinds. If
your bet is to small, you give players cheap
cards with which to beat you.
A minimum bet, usually termed 'limping in,' may give you the
opportunity of a cheap flop; but remember, it gives other
players the same chance.
A three times big blind raise is sometimes thought of as a huge raise,
while at other times it becomes the standard entry into the hand. Gauge
the table, adapt your game to suit.
Your pocket cards do not dictate the amount of the bet, but
relate the bet in proportion to the current pot size, with a
consideration of the possible pot size if the hand progresses.
In other words; you'll want to get some chips into the pot with
a premium hand. But those chips should still be proportionate to
the pot and the potential pot; the hand is not given an assumed
dollar/chip value, (yeah okay,
in the first hand of a freeroll I'm taking a flyer with A-A same as you).
Post flop
Betting post flop is where most of a your proportionate betting will be
considered.
A feeler bet, would often be anything from one or two times the big blind,
up to about a quarter of the pot ("Okay I see aces and kings on the
board... what have you got hiding").
More of a statement bet, would be from a quarter to three quarter pot size
("I have hit the flop, have you").
While a bet intended to take the pot there and then, would be pot sized or
occasionally larger ("We can all see the ace on the table, I have
matched with it... twice").
Betting on the turn card
The pre and post flop betting will often have reduced the players
left in the hand to
two or three. Quite often a hand is checked or ended here.
It is rarely wise using this round to increase the pot without
confidence in your hand.
Any proportionately large bet on the turn will usually have the primary
aim of ending the hand. A bet that asks a question (feeler bet) often
should have been made on the flop.
Betting on the river
If you remember only one thing from this site, make it this; it has saved me
many times.
Don't do anything dumb on the river
Subtle differences
In tournament play when the blind/stack ratio forces some players to make moves;
a bet may also be proportioned in relation to their opponents' stack sizes,
usually by making a bet they cannot (or should not) call. Sometimes an overly
large bet may be made to isolate a player. For instance, if a big stack targets
a small stack, an uncompromising bet would tell other player to step aside.
As written earlier, disproportionately large cash table play may mean you win big
or lose big, but all the time the site takes their rake.
In some split-pot games (7 Card Stud Hi/Lo for instance) if two players are left
in a hand, each confident that they have separate pots locked up, it is good
economics to keep the betting proportions low.
Last thoughts
In tournament and cash table poker, players have differing approaches from a
'survival' to a 'build fast' game, with 'steady progression' being the middle
ground. Proportionate betting along with a pot control
strategy will give you the best shot at the money, no matter what approach you
have. |
