Value Betting – A Must at Low Limts

Do you consistently bet with a hand…but not a great hand? If you are playing small no-limit stakes, you better be.

Here is a very common situation:

You have (QJ) in late position and raise it up. Only the Big Blind (BB) calls you. The flop is [J-8-5] rainbow. The BB checks and you bet half the pot, and the BB calls again. The turn is a [K].

The BB checks again and you check – afraid of the over-card. The river is a [2].
The BB checks a third time and you check and take down the pot when you opponent shows (A8).

Let’s review. Not only did you not win near the money you should have on this hand, but you risked letting the BB catch his Ace for free. Giving free cards when you have the lead is just asking to get run down.

If this is a typical small hand win pattern for you, you are in trouble. You are playing rote poker and probably giving no time or effort into deciding what your opponent could be holding.

If you did, you would realize that although he might have just called with hands that are really bad for you -(KJ), (88) or (55) - odds are he doesn’t have those hands. Usually an (AJ) would have given a re-raise from the BB, so you can scratch that hand from the list.

If he does have any of those hands– good luck for him and bad luck for you. But in the long run, you will make more money betting here than seeing ghosts when your flop bet gets called and you check it down.

Hands you can put him on with some certainty are (A-any), suited connectors and small pocket pairs. The free cards you give him on the turn and river when he holds these cards are just aching to take this pot from you. You are allowing a double free draw to a straight, a flush and a set.

Knock it off!