Bets on the River

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (2 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)
Loading...
Betting on the River

Not long ago, we looked at three questions you should ask yourself about your hand before you decide to bet on the river. Now we’re going to look at how you can get the most value out of your hand when you do decide to wager. Talking value better here, ladies and gentlemen!

Once you decide that betting on the river makes sense, and you’re not likely to get raised by an opponent who’s bluffing, and you’re also holding a better hand, the question finally arises:

How Much More Money Is Your Opponent Willing to Pay You?

The only real way to answer that question is to understand your opponent. Anyone holding a hand worse than yours is likely to be worried about whether they’re ahead or not. The fact is, they’re not expected to call a massive bet on the river. This means that even a bet on half of the pot can sometimes be ‘too much.’ And if you do bet big on the river, the only hands that are likely to call are ones that have you beat, which is a whole different kind of a disaster!

That doesn’t always mean that you have to make a small bet on the river, though. This is because, if you’re facing the right opponent, you can sometimes bet your hand very big, and still get paid off.

Hand on the riverLet’s say you’re holding a big hand, like a set or a flush on the river, and you are facing an aggressive opponent. If you bet big on the river, he may call with a worse hand, because he reads you as being weak, and thinks you’re trying to chase him out of the pot. In this case, you’re making a powerful hand look like a bluff, in order to get your opponent to try to pick you off, and to try and make a huge hero call with the worst hand. Knowing who you’re up against is the key to knowing how much money your hand is worth on the river! Against timid opponents, you’re naturally going to bet a lower amount, because they’re not going to put a lot of money into the pot if they think they’re behind. But against aggressive opponents, you can sometimes bet a much, much larger sum than they’d expect; because your hand will look weak to such an opponent. Sometimes you should make a massive bet against such aggressive players, to make them think you’re bluffing, and make them stack all their chips.

Uncertainty Effect

Some players who are actually pretty good in all other aspects of poker, tend to check in cases considered optimal for betting. Dan Harrington, as well as many other poker pros, have called this phenomenon one of the most costly and common mistakes. Its roots lie in human psychology, and can be shortly described like this: when facing a situation that lacks certainty, most people tend to play it safe, even if they know that they have a good chance of succeeding. Checking in a situation where betting brings you a higher outcome, is exactly the thing. If you play to win, you should remember about this, and avoid such passive, weak decisions whenever possible.

Related Posts

Read more

British Regulator Proposes a Range of Gambling Innovations

The United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) offers all stakeholders to voice their opinion on the proposed steps to secure gambling harm reduction and help settle arguments between customers and operators, according to a statement made by the organization. The UK gambling regulator has announced the implementation of Customer Interaction, Alternative Dispute Resolution, and Gambling Blocking […]

Read More

High Rollers VS Low Rollers

To be or not to be? This question is bothering thousands of players out there, who are all busy contemplating their playing strategies. “Should I bet more?” Or, “is it all about luck?” These are just some of the many questions that have been bothering people who are keen on casino games; and quite honestly, […]

Read More

Blackjack: How to Manage Your Money Better

What really makes a top blackjack player is their ability to manage their money. Never mind how well you’ve different tried strategies, how many times you’ve read Ed Thorp’s “Beat the Dealer” before bed, or how many amulets you’ve managed to bag; because unless you’re able to manage your money, you’re certain to be on […]

Read More

Reasons to Play at an Online Casino

Gambling has been a form of entertainment since ancient times. Along with the changes in society, it also has been continuously changing, adjusting to a new pace of life and technological standards. Nowadays, we’re living in a highly digitalized era, and gambling is a fast-growing phenomenon in both the online and mobile sectors. While there […]

Read More
YOU MAY LIKE IT