How Much in The Pot?

[Running Nose II]

When you play on line there is no need to calculate how much is in the pot as it is done for you. In a live game this facility is not there and you have to do it yourself. A lot of players feel that trying to keep track of the money in the pot is difficult and don't bother to figure it out. These players will never be good players as they will never know whether or not they are getting a good value bet. Thankfully there is an easier way; rather than counting the actual money going into the pot, simply count the number of bets made. You know how much a single bet is, you also know the number of bets made. The money in the pot is one multiplied by the other. If the small blind folds, count him as a half. I'll leave you to figure out how to calculate a single raise, with both blinds playing the hand and three other players.

 

[CallmeFloppy]

This works for limit but can be more confusing in a no limit game with varying bet sizes. I agree though that its very important to keep track of the pot size. I had gone to the casino a few times with the sole purpose of counting the pot. I like the tip and will give that a shot next time.

 

[Running Nose II]

Even in no limit games it is still a matter of addition. If the pot is raised, say 4BB just add another 4 units to your previous total

 

[karl coakley]

When you play on line there is no need to calculate how much is in the pot as it is done for you. In a live game this facility is not there and you have to do it yourself. A lot of players feel that trying to keep track of the money in the pot is difficult and don't bother to figure it out. These players will never be good players as they will never know whether or not they are getting a good value bet. Thankfully there is an easier way; rather than counting the actual money going into the pot, simply count the number of bets made. You know how much a single bet is, you also know the number of bets made. The money in the pot is one multiplied by the other. If the small blind folds, count him as a half. I'll leave you to figure out how to calculate a single raise, with both blinds playing the hand and three other players.

It gets even easier, I simply ask the dealer for a count, no mystery there.

 

[Running Nose II]

Nice one. But will he not get a bit pissed off when you keep asking him?

 

[vinnie]

Generally, in no limit and pot limit games, you can ignore the small blind (if they fold) when figuring pot size. Or just consider it 1xbb. It makes the math easier without sacrificing any significant amount of accuracy.

I am also a fan of multiplying and keeping a running sum. It just takes a little bit of practice. It helps to practice doing this when you're not in a hand, you're also watching the table better if you do that.

 

[milka1605]

I think it is not necessary to consider. If the player has enough experience then he can determine the situation.

 

[vinnie]

I think it is not necessary to consider. If the player has enough experience then he can determine the situation.

Pot size is absolutely critical to consider. Correct decisions are made based on risk/reward considerations. If you don't know the reward, you can't make correct decisions. You might not need to know it exactly, but you should be pretty close.

 

[OzExorcist]

It gets even easier, I simply ask the dealer for a count, no mystery there.

Nice one. But will he not get a bit pissed off when you keep asking him?

The only time the dealer is required to count the size of the pot for you is in a pot-limit game - because the size of the pot is vital information to the playing of the game and the correct sizing of bets. A competent dealer shouldn't have to physically count the chips in the pot BTW, they'll already have the number in their head.

Limit and no-limit games are different. Not only is the dealer not required to provide you with pot size information, but in most places they're actually not allowed to tell you.

 

[karl coakley]

The only time the dealer is required to count the size of the pot for you is in a pot-limit game - because the size of the pot is vital information to the playing of the game and the correct sizing of bets. A competent dealer shouldn't have to physically count the chips in the pot BTW, they'll already have the number in their head.

Limit and no-limit games are different. Not only is the dealer not required to provide you with pot size information, but in most places they're actually not allowed to tell you.

Then that would be my mistake. Usually the only time I've asked is in PLO (ie. someone bets the pot and a 2nd villain bets the pot), a holdem hand is not hard to follow.

 

[vinnie]

Then that would be my mistake. Usually the only time I've asked is in PLO (ie. someone bets the pot and a 2nd villain bets the pot), a holdem hand is not hard to follow.

Pot-Pot means you are facing a bet of 4-times the original pot-size, and the pot is currently 6-times what it was before both bets (assuming you aren't the original bettor in which case the raise to you is 3-times the starting pot not 4). So, you can multiply the original pot size by 6 to get your new pot size.

These bet multipliers are the same critical SPR numbers that determine how hands should be played, basically it tells you how many bets that it would take to get stacks in.

1 pot sized bet: 1 x pot
2 pot sized bets: 4 x pot
3 pot sized bets: 13 x pot
4 pot sized bets: 40 x pot
5+ pot sized bets: [here lies madness]

Turning that into pot-sizes is based on a little logic. Usually, I think of how much the second to last pot-sized raiser needs to call.

Pot-Pot-Pot would mean I am facing a bet of 13 times the original pot. The second to last raiser made it 4 times pot and needs to call 9 times pot. A pot-sized bet/raise always offers 2-1 to the last caller/raiser. Which means it must be 18-9 for the second to last raiser. Meaning the pot size is currently 18 times the original pot size.

I find it harder when it's a mix of money bets followed by a pot raise and/or a pot reraise. It's still about multiplying and adding things. And, a little logic, but it can be pretty confusing.

Edit: Some of the above math assumes it is the same two people raising or reraising. Which is usually good enough. It three different people pot in a row, the math is a little different. It would be 20 times the original pot. But, it's close enough to 18 times unless you're deep into the madness territory (where stacks are hundreds of times the size of the pot... which usually means several hundred or thousand blinds deep).

Edit 2: It helps to think of multiples of the pot size first... then go back to the dollar amount you last had in your head. Makes the numbers easier to keep track of, and the numbers are the same for most situations.

 

[OzExorcist]

Then that would be my mistake. Usually the only time I've asked is in PLO (ie. someone bets the pot and a 2nd villain bets the pot), a holdem hand is not hard to follow.

Yep, that explains it - 100% standard in a pot limit game.

I've only played PLO a few times at my local casino, but when I did the dealers would announce the pot size at the start of each betting round to speed things along.

 

[CryptoBlood]

Oh i really like your idea.I have never played poker in real life for money ,just for fun so I was thinking that there is some digital tehnology or something where you can see pot like score in football in scoreboard.

 

[gocho2009]

I've never played live ... but I'd let the dealer do the calculations for me

 

[OzExorcist]

I've never played live ... but I'd let the dealer do the calculations for me

All well and good, but just remember that unless you're playing a pot limit game, the dealer can't provide that info for you. You have to practice keeping track of the pot size for yourself.

 

[gocho2009]

All well and good, but just remember that unless you're playing a pot limit game, the dealer can't provide that info for you. You have to practice keeping track of the pot size for yourself.

I had not analyzed it like this ... thank you