20 - How Much To Bet

Front 1

1. What is wrong with thinking “I want to blow my
opponent off a draw?”

Back 1

Answer: It’s not thinking about getting maximum value
in the hand.

Front 2

2. Hero: Q♣Q♦
Villain: 8♣A♣
Board: 2♣5♦9♣K♥
The pot is $20. Estimate the minimum bet hero can
make to give the villain a –EV call.

Back 2

Answer: Villain has about 25% equity. We need to bet
at least 1/2 pot.

Front 3

3. Hero: A♣Q♦
Villain: 8♥9♦
Board: 2♣5♦8♣A♥
The pot is $20. How much money are we giving away if
we check, letting the villain see the river for free?

Back 3

Answer: We give villain a free chance to draw with
about 10% equity. So, we’re giving him 10% of a $20
pot, which is $2.

Front 4

4. Hero: Q♣Q♦
Villain: 8♣7♣
Board: 2♣5♦9♣K♥
The pot is $20. You have $40 in the effective stack.
The villain is passive and never folds a flush draw.
What is the best bet size?

Back 4

Answer: This is a very common situation in micro-stakes
games. Opponents do not like to fold a flush draw. In
this case, we can just go all-in. We get the money in
now while he’s drawing for his flush instead of letting
him keep some after he’s missed on the river. We’re not
trying to blow the villain off a hand; we’re getting the
maximum value. If the villain were an aggressive
bluffer and could fold if we shoved the turn, we may
consider betting less on the turn and letting him bluff the
river.

Front 5

5. When might we allow some draws in a range to draw
profitably?

Back 5

Answer: When the villain’s range is weighted heavily
towards weaker draws that will call a bet, we may allow
the stronger draws to draw profitably because the
mistake the majority of his range will make by calling
will overcome the amount we give to the stronger draws.

Front 6

6. If our opponent is aggressive, can have many draws and
there is money left to bet on future streets, how should
we adjust the size of our bets?

Back 6

Answer: We need to increase our bet size to cut down on
the opponent’s implied odds.