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February 15, 2022
Bonus Tip : Always be clear on why you are betting!
When you are making a bet (or raise), you should always ask yourself “what is my bet trying to accomplish”. It should be one of these:

Increase the size of the pot because you expect to win pot at showdown (or in future streets).

Get the opponent to fold because you expect to have worse hand at showdown.

A mixture of #1 and #2 (Semi-Bluff)

There is a 4th reason that I do not want to list here because it often cost more money than it saves against strong players, but can feel “comfortable”.

When you make a bet you never want all the worst hands to fold and all the better hands to call. But often I see players on the river make a bet with the type of hand that will only get called by better hands and will cause all worse hands to fold. That is a horrible outcome. You are risking money (better hands calling) with almost no chance of making money (because worst hands fold). There are times when your hand is too weak to bet (better hands will call) but too strong to bluff (worst hands will fold). The size of the bet also plays into this factor, but one must be careful on how they size their bet, because that can reveal too much information to your opponent (if you always bet a lot with strong hands, and little with weaker hands opponents will use this information against you.)

You need to make sure that when you are betting that either (1) weaker hands will call and your bet will make money -OR- (2) worst hands will fold and your bet will make money. If you have a low pair (or even Ace-High) on the river you are sometimes in the situation where stronger pairs will call your bet, but weaker pairs will fold to your bet. In those situations you often do not want to bet; you should check-fold or check-call depending on the situation.

The mixture of (1) and (2) should be only made when you have ways to improve your hand to the better hand, but currently almost certainly have the worst hand. When you make a bet in this situation (called a semi-bluff) you do not mind so much if your opponent folds a better hand (you make money) or they if they call because then you can still win by hitting your draw OR bluffing on later streets.

The 4th reason is making a “defensive” bet when out-of-position. Occasionally, against a specific type of player, you can make a “defensive” bet on the river when you are out-of-position. I am not a fan of defensive bets because they can be easily exploited by tough players, and I think they can be over-used. “Defensive bets” are smallish bets on the river that set the price for your weak/scared hand, and are mostly used to try and prevent big river bets by your opponent when you check to them and you have a weak hand they could be best. You really only want to use “defensive bets” against opponents who have a good balance of big bet bluffing the river and making big bets with medium to strong hands. If you are against a player who bluffs too often, you should be check-calling the river instead of using a “defensive bet”. If you are against a player who doesn’t bluff enough with their big hands, who should be check folding. It is only against players who have a good balance between bluffing with hands you can beat but also making big bets with hands that beat you that you should consider a “defensive bet”. And even then, you don’t want to make a defensive bet against a tough player who is capable of re-raise bluffing on the river, totally defeating your “defensive bet” by making the decision even tougher.
March 14, 2022
Four General Poker Tips for Beginners
When you make a bet, it generally should be between 1/4 the pot-size to the pot-size. 1/3 to 2/3 is a great standard range, with the occasional small 1/4 pot-bet or the occasional large pot to over-size pot bet. Example: when the pot contains $10, you should at least bet $2.50 and more typically from $3 to $7. Occasionally, one can make a small bet of $2.50 or a large bet of $10 or more. But most bets should be between $3 and $7.
When you raise, it generally should be between 2X to 4X the previous bet or raise amount (remember, by rule it can never be less than the original bet or raise amount.) Example: if a player bets $2 into a $4 pot, if you raise you should make it at lest $6 to go (raising $4, or 2X their original $2 bet.)
When making a pre-flop decision, your position is just as important as the cards you were dealt. Example: At a full-table (>7 players) and you have Ace-Ten off-suit in early position (left of big-blind, which also called under-the-gun) you should typically fold. However, if you are on the button (best position) with Ace-Ten off-suit, you raise with the same hand (if no-one has raised before you), and if player just to your left raises, you may even re-raise them with Ace-Ten off-suit. So the same hand that is trash (foldable) in early position because a raising hand in late position (and sometimes even re-raising hand). An indication of how important position is.
When making a Pre-Flop decision to raise, call or fold, it is usually better to raise or fold rather than call. After the flop and especially on the turn and river, the situational complexity is such that all 3-options need to always be considered, but even then aggression (betting and raising) usually edges out calling on close decisions because calling only wins when your hand is best, while betting and raising can win two-ways: (1) your hand is best (2) the opponent folds. Example: Let’s say you are sitting to the right of the button (also called the cut-off) at an 8-player game and the two loose players to your right limp into the pot (meaning they just pay the minimum big-blind and do not raise). You have 3c 5c (three of clubs and five of clubs), If you decide to play this speculative hand, you should raise a decent amount with it rather than “limp” or call. (1) you may win the pot immediately. (2) you often get the button to fold and then you are best position. (3) You can win more frequently after the flop if players believe your hand is stronger than it is making it easier to bluff. (4) when you do hit a great flop the pot is bigger. (5) It allows you to raise with premium hands and players have a much harder time knowing what your holding, KK or 35.

REASONING

The vast majority of the time there is no reason bet bet less than 1/4 the pot or greater than the pot. If you are considering betting less than 1/4 the pot, you should choose between checking or betting 1/4 the pot.
If you do not raise more than 2X the previous bet/raise amount, you typically do not get the fold equity you often desire OR you don’t get the value you often can get and in the worst-case the opponent makes no mistake by having the odds to call to their draw.
“Position” determines if you have to make a decision before other players or after other players. Being “on the button” is the best position, because you are last to act, and get to make your decision after everyone else has made theirs. This is a great advantage and allows you to play a larger variety of hands. Being to “in the small blind”, just to the left of the button is the worst position, because you are the first to act and have to make a decision not knowing the intentions of the other players. This a great disadvantage and requires you to play a smaller amount of hands (you should be folding more often.) The position continues to improve as you go from the small blind (left of button) all the way to the button.
This is because when you call you are typically counting on your hand to be the best by the showdown, and when it is you the pot will be smaller because you were just calling instead of raising. When you raise you can win the hand by the other players folding OR by having the best hand by the showdown, and when you win, the pots are bigger. If you cannot get yourself to raise, you should seriously consider folding instead of calling.
February 12, 2022