Bet Sizing in Poker

During software developments in the early years of Betfair Poker, the rapid-fire betting button was created.
This allowed poker players to select pre-determined amounts at the click of a button. Over time, this led to an influx of bet sizing that was always three-quarters pot.

Without any doubt, it is the design of the software and mass multi-tabling that has created this vice, but players will also tell you that by creating a standard bet size you remain unexploitable.

Or are you? Ask yourself this question: ‘When was the last time somebody differed their bet-sizing and you learned something from it?’ It does not happen often does it?

If you want to become a great poker player, good enough to play at Betfair Poker Live Cork, then you need to start changing the way that you think.

If you play chess, you will know how incredibly important it is to think ahead and concentrate on the play that you are going to make.

Poker is the same in as much as every move you make must be made for a purpose. Bet sizing is a move you should make with purpose.

But what are the purposes of changing bet sizes?

There are a variety of reasons why a change in bet sizing can manipulate your opponent and provide you with an edge.

You could make a really small bet to confuse your opponent, you could make an over bet in order to try to scare your opponent or you could be manipulating the size of the pot to keep it low, or to prepare for a river shove.

There are many more reasons for introducing a varied bet size approach, than there is to remain constant.

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