Value Betting in Heads Up Games

Value betting is simply trying to extract the most out of your opponent when you know that you have him beat.  The difference between a good poker player and a great poker player is that one understands value betting, and the other does not.  An experienced player will know just the right amount of money to bet to ensure that his opponent will call with the weaker hand.

 

The Right Sized Bet - Read your Opponent

 

When you find yourself in a situation where you have put your opponent on a weaker hand, it is time to throw out the perfect sized bet.  This all depends on the circumstances of the hand.  If you have a straight and suspect your opponent of having a mid pair or worse, the bet size will be smaller.  It is all about reading your opponent.  What kind of weakness is he showing?  Watch for the dead give away tells such as pretending to be weak when strong, shaking hands, and acting overly confident.

 

Heads Up Value Betting

 

Since we are talking about heads up poker, we might as well relate value betting to one on one poker games.  How is value betting different for heads up play?  It's not.  Just keep in mind that in heads up poker more often than not both you and your opponent have weak hands.  It is up to you to extract the most money out of your opponent as possible.  However, you may find yourself in the situation where you have flopped trips and you opponent has nothing.  Obviously pushing all in will induce a fold from the opposition.  This is a situation where you want to check it after the flop, if your in position.  See what his next move is, and adjust your strategy accordingly.

 

Conclusion

 

Be sure to determine if the player you are playing is good or not.  The better the player, the harder it is to read and suck chips out of them.  You may be up against a psycho that re-raises your value bet, forcing you to fold (based on your hand of course).  Just keep a mental note of every little thing that happens on the flop, the turn, and the river.  Watch whether your opponent checks, raises, or just calls.  Play often and you will find that deciding the amount in which to bet comes easier.  Remember to keep in mind the size of the pot and the current cards on the board.