Optimal Post Flop Bet Sizing

In no limit holdem, you can bet any amount up to your entire stack at any time. This is very different to limit holdem, where the bet sizing is a lot more standard and it can be more difficult to get players to fold. But in nl holdem, what is the optimal amount to bet? In any given situation, the actual correct amount to bet will depend on your opponents hand range and the board texture.

In no limit, more than any other game, reading your opponent’s hand is of paramount importance. If you suspect your opponent is pretty much drawing to only a few outs to win the pot, then your bet does not need to be so big, because the chances of them drawing out on you are small and you want to extract additional bets with your hand. However, if  your opponent is on a straight or flush draw, you will need to bet a significant amount in order to prevent him from making a correct call based on implied odds.

Before the flop, the standard play is to generally raise 3 to 4 times the big blind, depending on the table dynamic. Post flop is where you have to think more about optimal bet sizing. The standard bet size to make on the flop and later streets is usually to vary your bet size between half the pot and the full pot.

Although you want to put your opponents on hand ranges to be able to best determine what is the optimal bet sizing, to play optimally post flop you should also take into account what the board texture is like. If it’s a very dry board texture, there are few hands which could have hit the flop, so you should bet smaller on the flop whether you have a hand or not, because you won’t get your opponent to fold regardless of how much you bet on a dry flop. If its a very wet board texture, you should bet bigger because its likely to have hit your opponents range. You should also be less likely to bet as a bluff on wet boards, because its likely to hit your opponent.

Lets say you open raise with AK and it comes a rainbow flop with an A and two low cards. There is a big chance you have the best hand and there are no draws. If you only bet half the pot, you may convince him to see the next card if they have middle pair, but if you would have made a larger bet size, they probably would fold.

Like everything in poker, there are times when you will want to vary your bet sizing so you don’t become predictable, both to vary your game and to mislead your opponents as to the quality of your hand. If you are only making pot size bets when you have the nuts imagine how transparent your play becomes when playing against thinking players.

Generally speaking, when you are facing a bad player (aka the calling station) that will call big bets with poor drawing hands, make him pay by making big bets, close to the size of the pot. They will make the call if they have connected with the board in someway – regardless of the bet sizing, so exploit this weakness in their play. Against good players, you have to think more about what is the optimal bet sizing. There are plenty of fish at low limit games so you should be avoiding the good players when you are starting out.

In no limit holdem, you can bet any amount up to your entire stack at any time. This is very different to limit holdem, where the bet sizing is a lot more standard and it can be more difficult to get players to fold. But in nl holdem, what is the optimal amount to bet? In any given situation, the actual correct amount to bet will depend on your opponents hand range and the board texture.

In no limit, more than any other game, reading your opponent’s hand is of paramount importance. If you suspect your opponent is pretty much drawing to only a few outs to win the pot, then your bet does not need to be so big, because the chances of them drawing out on you are small and you want to extract additional bets with your hand. However, if  your opponent is on a straight or flush draw, you will need to bet a significant amount in order to prevent him from making a correct call based on implied odds.

Before the flop, the standard play is to generally raise 3 to 4 times the big blind, depending on the table dynamic. Post flop is where you have to think more about optimal bet sizing. The standard bet size to make on the flop and later streets is usually to vary your bet size between half the pot and the full pot.

Although you want to put your opponents on hand ranges to be able to best determine what is the optimal bet sizing, to play optimally post flop you should also take into account what the board texture is like. If it’s a very dry board texture, there are few hands which could have hit the flop, so you should bet smaller on the flop whether you have a hand or not, because you won’t get your opponent to fold regardless of how much you bet on a dry flop. If its a very wet board texture, you should bet bigger because its likely to have hit your opponents range. You should also be less likely to bet as a bluff on wet boards, because its likely to hit your opponent.

Lets say you open raise with AK and it comes a rainbow flop with an A and two low cards. There is a big chance you have the best hand and there are no draws. If you only bet half the pot, you may convince him to see the next card if they have middle pair, but if you would have made a larger bet size, they probably would fold.

Like everything in poker, there are times when you will want to vary your bet sizing so you don’t become predictable, both to vary your game and to mislead your opponents as to the quality of your hand. If you are only making pot size bets when you have the nuts imagine how transparent your play becomes when playing against thinking players.

Generally speaking, when you are facing a bad player (aka the calling station) that will call big bets with poor drawing hands, make him pay by making big bets, close to the size of the pot. They will make the call if they have connected with the board in someway – regardless of the bet sizing, so exploit this weakness in their play. Against good players, you have to think more about what is the optimal bet sizing. There are plenty of fish at low limit games so you should be avoiding the good players when you are starting out.

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