What is Value Betting?

Question:

Hey,

I have been reading about value betting in poker and I am wondering what exactly it is?

Regards,
Luca

Answer:

Hi Luca,

Let's jump right in!

1. What is Value Betting?

A value bet in poker is when you think you have a better hand than your opponent and you bet. That's called betting for value.

A classic example:

You raise Apoker heartKpoker diamond on the button and your opponent calls from the small blind.

Flop comes down Apoker spade5poker diamond5poker heart

Your opponent checks, you bet and he calls.

Turn comes an innocuous 9poker club completing the rainbow

Your opponent checks again, you bet and he calls

River is the 6poker club

Your opponent checks. This is where the value bet comes in. You know your opponent has a mediocre hand, it is unlikely that he has a hand that beats you. With that information in mind, you decide to bet the river for value.

Your opponent calls and shows you Apoker spadeTpoker heart and mucks his cards as you flip over your Apoker heartKpoker diamond;-)

2. How Do You Value Bet?

Have reads on your opponent! Unfortunately that isn't always possible. Maybe you just sat down at the table or someone else did.

In those cases you have to generalize and just guess. If you're playing online you can look at how much money he bought in with. For offline poker I don't know, I don't play offline because it is just too slow for me!

Good signs that a player is a fish:

  • He buys in for $86.43 or $55.74 when the max buy-in is $100
  • His name is something like joe2351 or pokertom43
  • If he chats alot. Usually professional good players don't have time to chat because they play so many tables.

And if none of those signs match I usually assume that the player is decent and play pretty standard. In the AK hand above for example, if I had no reads on my opponent I would play it in the exact same manner.

When you are pretty certain that you have the best hand--value bet!

3. When Not To Value Bet

There are spots when a value bet is too thin. That means it doesn't really make you any money.

For example say you have the same Apoker heartKpoker diamond. Somehow you got to the river and the board has come down K poker heartQpoker heart9poker diamond5poker diamondJpoker heart.

This is definately a spot where I would check behind. The flush just hit on the river, and if your oponent had a Ten in his hand he now beats you. Or he could have a hand like QJ which was calling you down that now doesn't want to bet because he is afraid of the straight and flush.

4. Why Value Bet?

Because it makes you lots of money! If you need more reason than that then... well, you know.

Hope that helped!

 

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