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"""Often, players ask how to get opponents to pay when they have a big hand. Sometimes, they use top pairs or middle pairs for value betting and can't even get a call!
The primary reason for this dilemma is that players are playing too tight. As the saying goes, 'You can't catch tiger cubs without entering the tiger's den.' If you spend the entire day waiting for nut hands to come, never entering the pot for battle, how can you expect opponents to hand you a kill when you finally get a nut hand?
However, many times, the problem also arises from the bet sizing. Many players either bet too big or too small when they want to get a call, missing opportunities to win many chips.
In this article, we'll discuss how to make opponents uncomfortable, making them feel like they can't fold or call with the right bet size.
Understanding Your Opponent's Range
Before making any bet in poker, the first thing you should think about is what your opponent's likely range of hands is. This becomes increasingly important as the hand progresses because you can significantly narrow down your opponent's range on later streets.
For instance, let's say you raise pre-flop with A♦K♦, a strong hand, and then bet all the way on a board of A♥7♣8♠2♥2♦.
When you get to the river, what range of hands should you put your opponent on?
This range is quite narrow. Most of the time, your opponent either has an Ace or a missed straight draw like T9 (T stands for 10).
Of course, if your opponent has a top pair with a 10 kicker, they won't call any bet, but if they have a worse Ax hand, you can find the optimal bet size to maximize the chances of them calling.
This is a critical analysis that many people fail to do before making a value bet. You need to figure out what range they are on and then ask yourself how much they can call.
Don't Drop a Bomb on Weak Hands
The most significant mistake most people make is that when their opponent has a weak hand, their bet is too big. The hand described above is a perfect example of this.
If you were to bet a full pot or 80% of the pot with this hand, it would be an unforgivable error, even if you're trying to win. This is not the way to go. You haven't put yourself in your opponent's shoes and haven't truly considered how much they can call.
Even in low-stakes games these days, any player who understands even a little about thinking will not call a full pot-sized bet on the river, even with AQ in hand. They understand that you are representing an extremely strong hand, and even though their hand looks good, it can only beat bluffs. You're making it too easy for them to fold.
In this situation, the correct bet size should be approximately half the pot. If you know your opponent is playing weakly and can potentially fold a good-looking hand, then a bet of 20% or 30% of the pot might be an even better choice, as it prevents them from folding altogether.
Ensure that your bets on the river get called with worse hands; this is the key to long-term success in poker because on the river, the pot is generally at its largest. Even small bets accumulate and, over time, can amount to a substantial amount.
The fundamental point is not to greedily bomb the pot when your opponent has a weak hand.
Charge a Premium When Your Opponent Has a Strong Hand
Now, let's look at the other side of the coin. If you know your opponent has a strong hand, you can make a very large bet, and they will call you comfortably. I've discussed this topic in detail in my first book, 'Crushing the Microstakes.' This strategy is especially effective when facing recreational players.
Why is this? Because recreational players will never fold straights, flushes, and full houses. Furthermore, most of the time, they can't fold trips, two pairs, or even top pair.
If I know my opponent has a strong hand and can't fold to save their life, I won't let them get away easily. I will charge them a premium. Sometimes, I might overbet the pot or even go all-in.
For example, if the board is 5♦5♥5♠3♣2♥, and my opponent is a recreational player, holding a pair of Kings, Queens, Jacks, or Eights, I would make a huge bet or even go all-in. As recreational players, they will never be able to fold hands that have the potential to hit a full house.
Even if they can potentially call a 10BB bet, they will call 30BB, 50BB, or even more. So, betting a small amount at this point would be a big mistake, and your win rate would suffer.
In such a situation, the correct bet sizing should be about half the pot. If I know my opponent is playing weakly and is capable of folding hands that look good, I might choose to bet 20% or 30% of the pot to prevent them from folding.
At this time, make sure you can get worse hands to call your bets, as this is the absolute key to success in poker. This is because, on the river, the pot is generally the largest. Even if you only bet a small portion of the pot, it's typically 5 to 10 big blinds, or even more. Over time, these small bets can add up to a significant amount.
The bottom line is, don't be greedy and bomb the pot when your opponent has a weak hand.
When your opponent has a strong hand, charge them a premium.""" |
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Post time 19-10-2023 07:38:54
