Betting the River
Tuesday, May 25th, 2010Betting the River Should you bet the river in Texas Hold ‘Em poker if your hand has showdown value, but you are still uncertain whether or not it is best? Some pundits say when you bet the river and get called, then you are probably beat. This often constrains poker online players with what might be the winning hand from betting the last card. When you go to the river with a made poker hand, then ask yourself these simple questions: * Is it the best hand possible with the board? If so, then bet. * If you do bet, will a worse hand call? How loose or tight is your opponent and can you get more chips from him? * Can you force a player with a better hand to fold to your bet? You must have a sense of your opponent’s style. Some players are willing to lay down good hands to a bet. Have you seen your opponent fold at the river during previous hands? * Remember, you are not going to win every river bet, but you do want to win the majority of them. What has your track record been so far in this session? * Keep in mind how often you have won at the river with a showdown and how many without showing? Get a sense of how the table views you and the other players’ tendencies toward responding to your bets.