Approaches to Pot Sizing to control Poker Odds in Holdem
Bet sizing is an basic idea to learn if you want to make a profits at the poker table. Pot sizing ranks up there with bet sizing as a profit making instrument. The principle is simple: When you hold what appears to be the best hand it is to your advantage to play the hand fast and build a large pot. When you have only a drawing hand, however, and in order to be good your hand must improve significantly, it is proper to keep the pot small.
Playing to Build a Big Pot
The first piece of the pot sizing formula is to play fast when you have what appears to be the best hand. Playing fast with the best puts pressure on your opponent by making him pay to play with second best. Scaring your opponent away, however, is something you don't want to do. Your aim, rather, is to extract a call or, even better, a raise from an opponent with second best. Making your bets look to be utterly normal for your position and the betting round and what actions you already took is the best way to accomplish your goal. A bet of around half to two-thirds of the pot would, for example, look quite normal as a continuation bet on the flop if you were the preflop raiser.
When your opponent was the preflop raiser it is quite normal to check to him if you are to his right and, if he makes a c-bet on the flop, call behind him. This play is likely to appear quite normal under these circumstances. If your opponent is hyper-aggressive it is normal to check-call or even check-raise on the flop, If you were not the preflop raiser it is suspicious to bet out into the original raiser and might just drive him away. I am not a big fan of the check-call because it neither announces a strong hand on your part nor does it provide you with any real information about the strength of your opponent's hand. With the best hand I prefer the check-raise.
If the board is highly textured with straight and flush draw possibilities, slow-playing the best hand can be dangerous with a set or top two pair. It is unwise to give a free card with straight or flush possibilities when you are likely to hold the best hand. To give free cards, even with the best hand on the flop, is a setup for disaster.
If the board is not textured, there are no apparent draws available, then you may want to rely on your opponent to keep betting to build the pot so slowing down is okay if you were not the pre-flop raiser. A check-call in this instance is the correct move. If you check and your opponent checks behind you, then you may feel safe betting out on the turn or just check-calling to trap on the river.
Playing to Keep the Pot Small
It is clearly to your advantage to keep the pot as small as possible with a drawing hand or a strong pair. If, for example you have a flush draw (9 outs) on the flop, you are 2:1 against to complete your flush on the turn or river but only a 4:1 against to improve with only one card to come on the turn if you haven't completed your hand.
While any flush is hard to get away from, with a baby flush it is still wise to keep the pot small. This is a very weak flush indeed.
If you make your hand on the turn and it is the best hand or appears to be the best hand, then you should treat it accordingly.A single shot at the bluff may be okay here but be ready to get away from you hand if challenged.
Playing to Build a Big Pot
The first piece of the pot sizing formula is to play fast when you have what appears to be the best hand. Playing fast with the best puts pressure on your opponent by making him pay to play with second best. Scaring your opponent away, however, is something you don't want to do. Your aim, rather, is to extract a call or, even better, a raise from an opponent with second best. Making your bets look to be utterly normal for your position and the betting round and what actions you already took is the best way to accomplish your goal. A bet of around half to two-thirds of the pot would, for example, look quite normal as a continuation bet on the flop if you were the preflop raiser.
When your opponent was the preflop raiser it is quite normal to check to him if you are to his right and, if he makes a c-bet on the flop, call behind him. This play is likely to appear quite normal under these circumstances. If your opponent is hyper-aggressive it is normal to check-call or even check-raise on the flop, If you were not the preflop raiser it is suspicious to bet out into the original raiser and might just drive him away. I am not a big fan of the check-call because it neither announces a strong hand on your part nor does it provide you with any real information about the strength of your opponent's hand. With the best hand I prefer the check-raise.
If the board is highly textured with straight and flush draw possibilities, slow-playing the best hand can be dangerous with a set or top two pair. It is unwise to give a free card with straight or flush possibilities when you are likely to hold the best hand. To give free cards, even with the best hand on the flop, is a setup for disaster.
If the board is not textured, there are no apparent draws available, then you may want to rely on your opponent to keep betting to build the pot so slowing down is okay if you were not the pre-flop raiser. A check-call in this instance is the correct move. If you check and your opponent checks behind you, then you may feel safe betting out on the turn or just check-calling to trap on the river.
Playing to Keep the Pot Small
It is clearly to your advantage to keep the pot as small as possible with a drawing hand or a strong pair. If, for example you have a flush draw (9 outs) on the flop, you are 2:1 against to complete your flush on the turn or river but only a 4:1 against to improve with only one card to come on the turn if you haven't completed your hand.
While any flush is hard to get away from, with a baby flush it is still wise to keep the pot small. This is a very weak flush indeed.
If you make your hand on the turn and it is the best hand or appears to be the best hand, then you should treat it accordingly.A single shot at the bluff may be okay here but be ready to get away from you hand if challenged.
