Poker
Betting
There are several ways a poker
game’s betting structure can be set, and each
one can slightly change the way the way the game is
played.
Structured limit play simply means
that there is a set limit at that table, usually denoted
by two dollar amounts (i.e. $20/$40). They are split
like this because in games like Texas Hold’em
poker there are points where the minimum bet sizes are
different – on the pre-flop and the flop, it starts
at a certain amount, and on the Turn and the River that
amount is doubled, hence why there are two numbers.
There are even some games you may come across that use
three numbers instead of two. In these games, the minimum
bet is doubled on the Turn card, and then doubled again
on the River.
Spread limit betting is a little
different. In this type of play there are still two
numbers to consider, such as $1/$5, but instead of it
changing from one round to the next players are able
to bet anywhere between one and five dollars on each
round of betting. Again, though, you may come across
a variation where there are four numbers, as $1/$5/$10/$20.
In this type of play betting again changes on the Turn
card: on the pre-flop and the flop a player can bet
anywhere between one and five dollars; on the Turn,
between one and ten dollars; and on the River, anywhere
between one and twenty dollars.
In pot limit betting, players can
bet between the amount of the Big Blind (a forced bet
a player adds to the pot at the beginning of the game)
and what is already in the pot. So for example, if you’re
playing a $10/$20 game, and there’s already a
hundred dollars in the pot, you can bet anywhere between
twenty dollars and one hundred dollars.
No limit betting is exactly what
it sounds like: you can bet as much as you want! So
long as you at least match the Big Blind, you can bet
whatever you like, including your entire stack, which
is known as going “All-In.”
The 20% Rule
When playing at a full table (8
or more players) your average flop percentage seen should
never be higher than 20%, 17% is considered optimal.
So you should only be playing (seeing the flop) on average
1 out of every 5 of your starting hands. Play around
with the statistics function in the DL version to help
track this.
Minimum 3X bet
When betting or raising it is best
to bet at least 3 times the big blind or actioned bet.
For example if the big blind is $50 and you decide to
raise try and bet $150. This bet size will push marginal
hands off and help ensure that you minimize your opponents
while also giving you a better understanding of what
cards they might be holding.
So to summarize - play about 20%
of your starting hands and when you do play a hand don’t
be afraid to raise at least 3 times the initial bet
size.
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