Sizing up Bets for Flop, Turn, River
Many poker players struggle when deciding how big their bets should be. I have seen many players make bets that were way too small when they had a strong hand, and other players make bets that were way too big when they had a weak hand. It is important that you find a good balance in your bet sizing. If you are betting really hard every time that you have a decent hand it will become rather obvious to the other players after a few orbits. If, however, you make strong bets both when you are bluffing and when you make a strong hand, you will be catching the other players off guard. That is what poker is about after all, deception. This is not to say that consistency does not have its place in poker, not at all. You want to be consistent, but you don’t want to be turning your cards face up. I suppose a good way to put it would be to say that you want your bet sizing to be consistently inconsistent.
Bet Sizing the Flop
If you are making a flop bet for value, do it correctly. Don’t make weak bets that extract no value. When you have a solid hand you should be getting every ounce of value possible from it.
Here is an example of proper bet sizing on the flop for value.
You are heads up against one opponent in a raised pot, you have As Qs.
The limits are .50/1 and the pot is $9.50 as the flop is dealt.
Ad Qh 8c
You have an extremely strong hand here. Lead out $8. If you get called you can safely put your opponent on an ace. This will set up a future check raise or more lead bets for value.
If the flop had come 9d 7c Js a bet of $6 or $7 would be better as you are looking for a fold, not for value.
Bet Sizing the Turn
With each street you should be making large bets, but at a lower proportion to the pot size. Pretend that you had been called when you flopped top two pair and led for $8 into the $9.50 pot. On the turn the pot would be $25.50.
There is virtually no card that is bad for you, but for the example’s sake we will say it was the 6d.
You have top two pair on a board that is not very draw heavy. It would be a good time to either lead for $18 or so, or check raise. If you plan on check raising you should be sure that your opponent had either floated you or also has a strong hand, maybe A8.
Bet Sizing the River
The river is important because it is your last chance to get the most you possibly can from your hand. If they had called your turn bet of $18 the pot would now be $61.50. Since they likely have a strong hand that is going to call you down, you should be betting for a lot of value, but you don’t want to scare them away.
The river is the 4s. The board now reads Ad Qh 8c 6d 4s.
There is only one straight possible (75) and it is very unlikely that your opponent had called down with that type of hand. The only thing you have to worry about now is a set. A bet of around $43 would be perfect in this spot. They will call off with hands like Q8 and A8, but might also call with AK.