Pre-Flop Betting - Low, Med, Large?

C

centaurix

Rising Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Apr 5, 2009
Total posts
19
Chips
0
I'm starting to play tournaments. I'm thinking that if I have three different sized bets based on my hand quality (good enough, great, and monster) that it might be too obvious. Another option would be either bet or don't bet by a certain blind multiple based on the stack sizes. Or some other option I'm not thinking of. But I would think that having three different bet sizes would probably make the most sense for tournaments with small stakes entry?

I remember watching a pro game a long time ago and almost the only play I saw was betting 2.5x BB pre-flop, for late-game play.
 
thatguy6793

thatguy6793

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Jul 10, 2017
Total posts
1,156
Awards
4
Chips
0
Well obviously it will be really easy to catch on to your betting if you bet high with good cards and low with bad cards. If you really want to do different bets for different instances you should just have a set of bets that you cycle through randomly, use low and large bets for the worst and best hands in your raise respectively just to get value still but otherwise mix it up to keep your opponents guessing. Basically you want it to look like random organization so that people know you have something when you bet but have no idea what you have, a bet with AA should almost be unable to be told apart from a bet with A5s. The reason you see 2.5-3BB on bets normally is just because that's the standard bet size to get the most value for winning hands and the least amount of loss for losing hands and it makes harder pot odds for the opponents to call. If you still really want to vary bet sizes I'd say stick between 2-5BB to start until you get good at it then you can tweak it more to fit your style of play.
 
Kurtimus

Kurtimus

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Aug 29, 2017
Total posts
55
Chips
0
It a depends on the size of your stack in a tournament. If you're 100bb deep like a cash game then go ahead and bet 3-5bb standard. As you get down to smaller stacks like 30bb you might want to throw in some min raises, they're often sufficient to get the job done, and it will preserve your stack.

I wouldn't worry too much about microstakes players reading into your bet sizing, but if you bet too large you might sometimes scare off action.
 
walluyo

walluyo

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Nov 28, 2016
Total posts
520
Chips
0
The stronger starting hands, the more chips you should bet in. Avoid limping with AA, hehee
 
terryk

terryk

TheCanuckwithalltheluck
Bronze Level
Joined
Dec 14, 2016
Total posts
7,053
Awards
10
Chips
1
Mix-up your bet-sizing,so you don`t give away the strength of your hand.(no min raise bets!)2.5-3.5,and sometimes 4,,,:cool:
 
C

centaurix

Rising Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Apr 5, 2009
Total posts
19
Chips
0
The stronger starting hands, the more chips you should bet in. Avoid limping with AA, hehee
I just came for a tournament where I tried to coax a raise twice in a row with AA by limping (once early, once in the middle), and failed twice in a row. So yeah, won't be doing that unless there is heavy re-raise action.

Sometimes there are small stacks you expect may all-in if you just limp. But you're right, both limps should not have happened. Won small on the first limp but on a paired board, then lost big on the second limp also a paired board with someone hitting their set because there were a couple others limping in front of me.
 
C

centaurix

Rising Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Apr 5, 2009
Total posts
19
Chips
0
It a depends on the size of your stack in a tournament. If you're 100bb deep like a cash game then go ahead and bet 3-5bb standard. As you get down to smaller stacks like 30bb you might want to throw in some min raises, they're often sufficient to get the job done, and it will preserve your stack.

I wouldn't worry too much about microstakes players reading into your bet sizing, but if you bet too large you might sometimes scare off action.
Okay, I'll try some min-raises if we are under 30bb and report back if I can manage to remember.
 
C

CallmeFloppy

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Total posts
1,296
Awards
2
Chips
1
I would not tie my bet size to the strength of my hand, I would focus more on why I am betting. If I want to call, what is my opponent likely to have and what is the most they would call with. If I want them to fold, what is the least I need to risk to get them off the hand. If I know they are drawing, what is the amount I need to bet to make calling a poor choice. (not that it ever stops them)
 
thetick33

thetick33

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 8, 2012
Total posts
1,888
Awards
4
Chips
0
I would not tie my bet size to the strength of my hand, I would focus more on why I am betting. If I want to call, what is my opponent likely to have and what is the most they would call with. If I want them to fold, what is the least I need to risk to get them off the hand. If I know they are drawing, what is the amount I need to bet to make calling a poor choice. (not that it ever stops them)

THIS ABOVE :) good explanation floppy

instead to op of betting certain amounts per your holding cards try putting range on the cash in pot. Always consider position and holding range of your opponents.

I mix up bets and just been doing so long its natural now but if in a nice event I keep it more str8 forward per the pot position my table etc..

Will say watching winning friends on twitch tv has made me change some betting patterns and keep them easier to allow me access to toss hands at times because of multiple action.

I want to isolate certain players myself because of their weaknesses in chip stack or their play history:)
 
C

corieaddison

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Oct 24, 2018
Total posts
105
Chips
0
I wouldnt necessarily say it is obvious if you have 3 different betting sizes. Knowing that people think that small bet means weaker hand and bigger bet means stronger hand, maybe you could bet small when you have the hand and bet big when you have a weak hand. Either way just make sure you are being consistent with not be consistent. No patterns should be being made.

Good Luck!
 
kraemer

kraemer

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 20, 2007
Total posts
871
Chips
0
You can also try to make the same bet with every hand from your range so that your bets will not reveal the strength of your hand...
On the other hand you will probably get more callers if you don’t protect your good hands by making a large bet that drives out other players...
There is no simple and correct answer. It depends a lot on what style of poker you prefer to play and how comfortable you feel in multinway pots after the flop. And of course with what type of opponents you have. If you always just bet 2 BB but have created a right table image you can sometimes steal a lot of pots with such a small bet...
 
Related Betting Guides: CA Betting - AU Betting - UK Betting - SportsBetting Poker - BetStars
Top