Betting Strategies
Understanding when to bet, how much to bet, and why you are betting can make a significant difference in your game.
Value Betting vs. Bluffing
Value betting and bluffing represent two fundamental approaches in poker strategy. Value betting involves betting when you believe you have the best hand, while bluffing is about representing strength when holding a weaker hand.
Value Betting
Placing bets with strong hands to extract maximum value from opponents with weaker hands.
Value betting maximizes profit from worse hands
Bluffing
Betting or raising with a weak hand to make opponents fold stronger hands.
Bluffing helps balance your range and win pots without the best hand
Balancing Your Bets
Mixing value bets and bluffs to keep opponents guessing.
Both strategies require careful opponent reading and position awareness
Continuation Betting (C-bet) and Its Effectiveness
Continuation betting is a powerful tool in poker, especially when you're the pre-flop aggressor. A well-timed c-bet can help you take down pots without showdown and maintain aggression throughout the hand.
Definition
A bet made on the flop by the pre-flop aggressor, regardless of whether they improved their hand.
Effective on dry boards that miss villain's range
When to C-bet
Effective when the flop favors your perceived range or your opponent is likely to fold.
Size your c-bets based on board texture and opponent tendencies
When Not to C-bet
Avoid when facing multiple opponents or on coordinated boards that hit your opponent’s range.
Consider position and pre-flop action when deciding to c-bet
Overbetting and Underbetting Strategies
Understanding when to overbet or underbet is crucial for maximizing value and exploiting opponents. These advanced strategies can help you extract maximum value or minimize losses in different situations.
Overbetting
Betting more than the size of the pot to apply pressure and force tough decisions from opponents.
Overbetting works best on polarized ranges
Underbetting
Betting smaller amounts to induce calls from weaker hands or control pot size.
Underbetting can induce calls from weak hands
When to Use Each
Overbet when targeting weak ranges; underbet when trying to extract value from marginal hands.
Both strategies require careful consideration of stack depths