On Betting: How Poker Hands Chart Help You Decide

Betting is one of the most crucial aspects of playing poker. The amount you bet and how often you bet while playing Texas Hold ’em can give other players a lot of insight into your style. Additionally, there are moments when it’s better to check instead of placing a bet.

Fewer than 25 percent of all poker hands make it to the final betting round, so being able to place bets strategically is crucial. The paragraphs below cover how to bet while playing poker, what rules you need to follow, the poker hands chart you need to know, and when you should fold or check instead.

The Difference Between Betting and Calling

You’re always betting when you contribute chips to the pot in poker. Whether you’re matching an existing bet, opening the betting, or raising, this is true. However, there’s a big difference between calling (flatting) and raising.

When you simply call an existing bet, you are not putting any pressure on your opponent. You have to remember that out of all hands, three-fourths are won when someone bets and everyone else folds. And frequently, people fold not because you called their bet but because they initially placed a weak hand. By being the aggressor–making the initial bet or raising an existing one–you give yourself a chance to win before showing your cards (at showdown).

If you’re new to the scene, you can make your poker strategy chart or poker rules chart to become more familiar with the rules while immersing yourself in the games.

Understand Your Opponent

If you want to bluff your opponents during a game, it is pivotal that you first assess their playing abilities. Generally speaking, it is easier to fool good players than bad ones, so if most of the people you’re up against seem inexperienced, save the bluffing for another day.

The players you should be value-betting against are the ones who don’t fold whenever they connect with a flop or get a pocket pair. Keep putting pressure on these individuals by betting on the river if you feel you have the winning hand. They will continue calling beyond when it would make sense for them to fold, which means more money for you.

Bluffing is more profitable against tight opponents because they are less likely to call an aggressive player’s bet. Similarly, if you are playing against aggressive players and know that one of them will probably re-raise your bet, you should consider that before betting.

Manage Your Table Image & Be Familiar with Poker Hands

How the table is played will also affect how much money you win or lose. If you’re a loose player who bets often, other players will be more likely to either call your bet or raise the stakes. It could be a good thing to note in your poker chart.

Of course, it’s apparent that you also need to be familiar with poker hands and the poker odds chart. It would help if you memorized the best cards and hands on the type of poker game you are betting on. You can gauge the players’ actions and probable cards if you know how to see the value in the community cards as well.

How often to Check?

Many players need to reduce the size of their bets in later rounds. For example, imagine you’re playing in a $1/$2 cash game, and you raise to $7 pre-flop; if you then bet $5 after the flop, you’re showing signs of weakness.

On the next turn, you might have a better hand now. If you bet less than $10, it’s probably best to just check. And if you’re confident that your hand needs to be better to win AND don’t want to bluff, then don’t put any chips in the pot.

Some players will make a defensive bet of $5 to stop their opponent from betting more than that. However, when you shrink your bet size towards the next round, it’s seen as a sign of weakness. A good player will take advantage of this and re-raise you, so you either give up the initial $5 you bet or are forced to put more money into the pot than planned. To avoid this, make sure your bets are consistent throughout each street and ideally increase with every new round.

Conclusion

How you bet communicates to the other players at the table how strong or weak your hand is. A powerful, decisive bet usually means a more substantial hand–or at least, that’s what you want your opponents to think. Be prepared, and as soon as it’s your turn to act, announce your action immediately. Then place the chips in the pot with one smooth motion. The best poker players can figure out any tells you might reveal unintentionally.

There are a few dead giveaways that you need to know what you’re doing at a poker table. Take your time to develop an ironclad plan so that when it’s your turn to act, there’s no doubt that you know exactly what you’re doing. Want to up the ante? Play some games yourself. Sign up for GGPoker, the world’s largest poker room!