Poker Strategy – How to Bet Smart in Poker

A good poker player must be able to change his strategy in the blink of an eye. Whether you’re playing at a high-stakes 6-max table or a 9-max game with lots of players to beat, if you can switch up your tactics quickly then it will be a big help in gaining a huge edge.

Betting

Betting is the heart of poker and you need to be able to make a smart decision when it comes to betting your hand. The amount you should bet will depend on a number of factors, including previous action, stack depth, pot odds and more.

The most common mistake that novices make is to bet too much and lose their bankroll. The most effective way to avoid this is to use a bet sizing strategy that takes into account the opponents left in a hand, stack depth and pot odds.

Ties

Ties in standard poker hands are broken by the highest card. The rank of cards in a hand is determined by their odds (probability).

If two or more people have the same pair, they will be split evenly. If two people have the same high pair, they will be split.

Full Houses

If you have three of a kind and a pair, you win. If you have two pairs and one pair, you break ties with the highest unmatched card in your hand or secondary pairs (in a full house).

Fives of a Kind

The five of a kind is the strongest hand in poker. It beats any flush, straight, two pair, and three of a kind.