Bet sizing
Choosing how much to bet: bigger with strong hands, smaller with thinner value.
Last updated
- What it means
- The same hand can want different bet sizes. Very strong hands want the pot as big as possible, and thin value hands want a size that worse hands can still call.
- How it is calculated
- The rule of thumb looks at the calling range. Beat 70% or more of it and bet 75% of the pot. Beat 50% to 70% and bet 33%. Beat less than half and check.
- Worked example
- With the nut straight you beat 95% of calls, so you bet 75% pot. With top pair and a weak kicker you beat 58% of calls, so you bet 33% pot and keep worse pairs calling.
- Why it matters
- Betting big with thin value only gets called by better hands. Betting small with the nuts leaves chips on the table.
See also: Value bet, Postflop rules of thumb