Information bet

Bozovicdj

Bozovicdj

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Lately, I have been hearing about this a lot, both within this community and outside of it.

My opinion on it is that it is a way for a player to attach some significance to a bad and senseless move.

If anyone is using "info" bets, I would very much like to hear from them about it.
IMO, all the information one needs about their opponent should be based on:
-all the action previous to the moment when we are supposed to act
-notes or live reads

There are other factors of course, but IMO, "info" bet is not one of them!
 
Z

Zer0-0uts

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Reasons to Bet

Lately, I have been hearing about this a lot, both within this community and outside of it.

My opinion on it is that it is a way for a player to attach some significance to a bad and senseless move.

If anyone is using "info" bets, I would very much like to hear from them about it.
IMO, all the information one needs about their opponent should be based on:
-all the action previous to the moment when we are supposed to act
-notes or live reads

There are other factors of course, but IMO, "info" bet is not one of them!
I bet for two reasons. To build a bigger pot when I have to be what I perceive to be the best hand, and to get a player to fold what I precieve to be a better hand. I do not bet fir information. Doing that would essentially open me to exploitation once the villain figures out what, "information" I am trying to obtain.

:evil:Zer0:evil:
 
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dbchristy

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very interresting responses. I hope other people post their thoughts on this. I think I been doing it all wrong. My info bets lead to disaster.
 
roger perkins

roger perkins

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i dont use an info bet. I will a lot of times make a small call on the river to get information on what the player had and how he played it for future reference.
 
F

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What if all bets are information bets?
 
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As freestocks mentioned but didn't explain, any bet you make gives you information on your opponent. For example, a c-bet on the flop is supposed to make the other player believe you had the better hand preflop and you still have it post flop, but if he calls you that should give you the intel that he might have a good hand or at least a few good outs. Of course, he could be setting up the stage for a bluff on a later street, but will not be happening too often.

It might be a little harder to see how you can get information in the turn and the river, but believe me, you can get a lot of useful info on the villain with anything you do, even cheking. However, I think you should always do the correct move in any street and process the information you get after that. Making a move for the sole purpose of getting information is probably not the best strategy in the long run.
 
Bozovicdj

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What if all bets are information bets?


My thoughts too. However, still players tend to use this term "info" bet. I can understand the concept behind it, but shouldn't we be able to obtain information with every single move made in a hand?


It would be great if someone who makes these "info" bets to give an example when they obtained an information useful to them, for the sole purpose of acquiring information.
 
thatguy6793

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The problem I have with info bets is that either you'll sacrificing chips to fold to a reraise or you're not getting enough value when you are ahead. I feel that you get enough info from playing your normal game then having to throw away a street for one of these bets. Info bets can also get you into tricky spots because they can be seen as weak bluff raises and you can get a lot more action from people just raising your bet to try and push you off a weaker hand. Personally I feel bets should either be for value or to get folds.
 
akmost

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Have heard this again , but I don't understand what that means. Info bet can for example be a tiny lead bet (or donk bet) on the flop?In order to see how the initial raiser will respond?

I know about cbets , 3bets , blocker bets etc but I need some hep here!
 
Minus272c

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Without information your playing in the dark

Info bet is what it is, you bet to see what the other players do, call, fold raise.

If your just checking and calling you dont get any information about the other players strengt,
But if you bet into them or reraise them, you essentially ask them if they got any
hand they want to continue with (dont forget to fold sometimes).
This also server as a bluff, semibluff or valuebet and put pressure to villains :D

You should start guessing all players hands, also in the hands your not playing.
The more you know about the others hand the better you can play accordingly.

Being good at guessing/reading hands will save and earn you a ton of chips ;)
 
Poker_Mike

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Without information your playing in the dark

Info bet is what it is, you bet to see what the other players do, call, fold raise.

If your just checking and calling you dont get any information about the other players strengt,
But if you bet into them or reraise them, you essentially ask them if they got any
hand they want to continue with (dont forget to fold sometimes).
This also server as a bluff, semibluff or valuebet and put pressure to villains :D

You should start guessing all players hands, also in the hands your not playing.
The more you know about the others hand the better you can play accordingly.

Being good at guessing/reading hands will save and earn you a ton of chips ;)


YES. However I don't agree that an information bet is a value bet. IF you know you are best then value....if not sure and still probing....then it's an information bet.

I see some players put out a minimum bet as an information bet and I personally don't like that. Nothing screams polarized (either total air or the nuts) like a min bet.

I like 4 or 5-betting preflop for very good information. And I've successfully folded QQ and JJ to AA three times in the last couple of months (preflop). I pat myself on the back every time.

But often I am looking at the flop to get my information about how much my opponent(s) likes the hand. Just check calling won't tell you much about their hand. And calling all the way down but folding on the river is just weak expensive play.

Good luck !
 
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12345djon

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If I am in a position on a player and he says a check, I will definitely bet without hitting the flop, but having an over card, I will try to pick up the chips right away if he folds.
 
J

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You are playing in a no-limit hold ‘em game with $1/$2 blinds. A player in middle position opens the pot for $10, you call on the button with A [spade] J [club], and everyone else folds. You have $200, and your opponents covers.

The flop comes J [club] T [heart] [9 heart], giving you top pair top kicker on a pretty scary board. The pre-flop raiser bets $18 into a $23 pot.

This is a spot where a raise for information may seem tempting. There are quite a few strong hands that your opponents could have, including two pairs, sets, and straights, but also quite a few pairs or draws that your AJ beats. Rather than face the prospect of further bets from an unknown threat, some players prefer to raise here to “see where they stand.”

There are a few problems with this course of action:

This information is expensive. If a raise to $60 doesn’t make your opponent go away, you may be able to conclude that your AJ is in trouble, but now you’ve put in another $42 against a hand that probably has you beat.

This information may not be accurate. Does a call really mean you are beat? What about a re-raise? Many players will move all in over a raise with a hand like A [heart] K [heart] or AQ as a semi-bluff.

You may lose the battle of mistakes. It’s often said that poker is a battle for information, but more fundamentally it is a battle for mistakes. You use information to avoid making mistakes and to induce mistakes from your opponent. In this case, a raise will probably not cause your opponent to make a mistake. He will fold the hands you are crushing and continue with better hands or draws that are getting the correct price. Meanwhile, you may well have made a mistake yourself by raising into a better hand or setting yourself up to get semi-bluffed off of the best.

This information is not important. You can make good decisions without knowing whether you are beat.
 
Ricey155

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They often do online Christy, people see AK for instance and call and river and ace and push AI then your stuck with a call having entered more than you can fold most times.

I always watch the previous hands and it amazing how many times I get the same cards dealt to me the hand after and you jus know your going to miss or gett done over by trip 3s again


great frustrating game poker!!

very interresting responses. I hope other people post their thoughts on this. I think I been doing it all wrong. My info bets lead to disaster.
 
dbchristy

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They often do online Christy, people see AK for instance and call and river and ace and push AI then your stuck with a call having entered more than you can fold most times.

I always watch the previous hands and it amazing how many times I get the same cards dealt to me the hand after and you jus know your going to miss or gett done over by trip 3s again


great frustrating game poker!!

Speaking of AK, I am learning alot this week. Like IT IS NOT worth your entire stack ever..LOL It just wont hold up, where is my ACE when I need it.:rolleyes:
 
This Fish Chums

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Utilizing Info Bets

Info Betting can actually be very useful when done in the right situation. One situation is where you're in early position and have a decent hand. You wish you could bet big, but you don't have any information on what the opponent is holding. By throwing out a few BBs you're essentially "buying position" because after you've payed the low bet you get to read their reaction and see what they are going to do next. if they fold, great. If they re-raise big then you know you're probably beat.
In late position it can be used to expose a trap. Let's say someone checks to you and you throw out a few BBs. For a lot of players, those few BBs aren't enough for them and they expose their hand by throwing out a large re-raise allowing you to fold early and for a relatively small amount of chips.

I primarily use info bets as small 1-2 BBs in order to trigger someone to snap-raise revealing they have a strong hand.
 
Poker_Mike

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very interresting responses. I hope other people post their thoughts on this. I think I been doing it all wrong. My info bets lead to disaster.


I remind myself every time....listen to the answer I get! If I don't listen then I could just pay off a superior hand.

I bet or raise for info and they call or come over the top? What does this say about their hand? Nothing at all? lol Some players - some times - but a lot of the time they are there already or they may have a monster draw.

If you're asking a question then listen to the answer. I'm not saying you have to fold every time they call or raise but ignore the response at your peril.

Good luck !
 
Bozovicdj

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Info Betting can actually be very useful when done in the right situation. One situation is where you're in early position and have a decent hand. You wish you could bet big, but you don't have any information on what the opponent is holding. By throwing out a few BBs you're essentially "buying position" because after you've payed the low bet you get to read their reaction and see what they are going to do next. if they fold, great. If they re-raise big then you know you're probably beat.
In late position it can be used to expose a trap. Let's say someone checks to you and you throw out a few BBs. For a lot of players, those few BBs aren't enough for them and they expose their hand by throwing out a large re-raise allowing you to fold early and for a relatively small amount of chips.

I primarily use info bets as small 1-2 BBs in order to trigger someone to snap-raise revealing they have a strong hand.


But isn't that throwing chips away for nothing? I mean, if someone does have a very strong hand, he is certainly going to make a significant bet regardless of your 1-2BB bet!
If someone has a medium hand (maybe some 2nd pair or TP-low kicker), they will just check behind and you get a cheap showdown without wasting chips at all.
On the other hand, what if you have a medium hand that can beat a busted draw (there is no flush, no straight on the river). You lead with 1-2BB bet, opponent bluffs over you, you fold to a worse hand and wasted chips in the process. Isn't it better to check and hope for a check back, or go for a check-call if it is cheap enough?

Also, that type of play should be very exploitative... Bet 1-2BB a few times, and fold to any aggression, and eventually everyone will re-raise you only to bleed out your chips.
 
This Fish Chums

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But isn't that throwing chips away for nothing? I mean, if someone does have a very strong hand, he is certainly going to make a significant bet regardless of your 1-2BB bet!

The purpose of using an info bet to induce a big raise is to eliminate the possibility that you are going to get trapped. For instance, you throw out a pot sized bet while they have a monster and they'll just call because you are doing their betting for them. However, if you throw out 2 BBs they think that is the most they'll get out of you unless they bet so they expose their trap.

If someone has a medium hand (maybe some 2nd pair or TP-low kicker), they will just check behind and you get a cheap showdown without wasting chips at all.

Something TAG players will do is take advantage of checks by pushing you off the pot with marginal holdings. That's where the AG (Aggression) comes in to play. Their plan is, you check, they c-bet, you fold your own marginal hand and they win the pot. By throwing out a min bet instead of simply checking you make marginal hands think twice before pushing a bunch of chips into the pot. It's like a speed bump if you will. It doesn't actually stop a car, but it makes the driver think twice.


On the other hand, what if you have a medium hand that can beat a busted draw (there is no flush, no straight on the river). You lead with 1-2BB bet, opponent bluffs over you, you fold to a worse hand and wasted chips in the process. Isn't it better to check and hope for a check back, or go for a check-call if it is cheap enough?

There are players who simply will not let you see free cards if they are in position. Throwing out feeler bet (info bet) messes with their mind a little.

Also, that type of play should be very exploitative... Bet 1-2BB a few times, and fold to any aggression, and eventually everyone will re-raise you only to bleed out your chips.

I may have misrepresented how they are used. Just because there is aggression doesn't mean you have to fold. For instance, you have mid pair and bet 2BB. They return with a min-raise to 4BB. That gives you information. And it's information you wouldn't have had if you checked and they bet 4BB straight out. You could probably 3-bet in this situation and take down the pot against the marginal hand they are probably holding.

Thanks for the feedback.
 
poliaris747

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I agree that the only information that is obtained in the course of the game gives reason for making decision about the style of play oppnent!
 
pirateglenn

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I have used information bets in the past, mainly to sporadically check my reads on players, i dont over rely on these though..
There have been a few players in my past of whom have never given any information, its only watching their hands at showdown and then using the card replayer that i have gathered my information and reads...
 
pescaofish

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Value Bet

Are you talking about Value Bet?, If so, Yes is very useful, is a way to minimize your losses, but If you use it, very often, then it cost some money! :bike:
 
pirateglenn

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Not value bets but yes - they have their uses especially if its cheap to call and go to showdown, no - i am talking about when you enter a hand, you realise you are behind or have missed and you remain in the hand until showdown deliberately to see opponents cards..
 
bakreni

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info bet it trash...you make notes off players end see they habit with reises end you get info min bet dont give you info...every time someone min bet i alway rereise biger end in 40% off time i win pot with bluf becase they show veakness with that info bet :)
 
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