Understanding Fixed Bet Sizes

The term “fixed bet size” refers to betting the same sum or percentage of the pot every time. Most effective online players used fixed bet sizes prior to the flop, particularly when open raising. Many players employ fixed bet sizes on the flop. If you meet formidable opponents who can read hands, you should as well.

When you choose fixed bet sizes, you are betting a range rather than an individual hand. Assume one player’s starting range is AA-TT, AK-AQ under the gun in a 10-handed $1-$2 game. When he receives one of these hands, he bets 4BB. Otherwise, he folds. It makes no difference whether hand of his opening range (AA-TT, AK-AQ) he uses. If he has AA, he bets 4BB. If he has AQ, he bets 4BB. This is a set bet size. Every hand in the range is the same.

Fixed bet sizes complicate hand reading. When our example player raises to 4bb under the gun, we can assume he has AA-TT, AK-AQ. However, you don’t know which of those hands he has. Assume instead that he usually raises to 5bb with AA-KK and 4bb with QQ-TT and AK-AQ. These varied bet sizes provide information. When he raises to 5bb, you know he most likely has AA-KK. His varied raise size makes reading his hand easier.

Variable raise sizes provide information that opponents can exploit. Here’s a practical example. When a weak player raises in front of you, you call for position. Assume his range is around AA-22, AK-AJ, KQ. The flop is ace-high. He bets the entire pot. Some time later, the identical circumstance arises. This time, he bets half the pot. After a few thousand hands against him, you see that he typically bets the pot when he lands top pair and half the pot when he misses or flops a set. You now have a significant advantage.

A few hands later, a similar situation arises. You have 55 but missed an A♠ 9♥8♥ flop. He bets half of the pot. What has he got? You know he’s unlikely to have a top pair. This makes AK-AJ implausible. His range is possibly AA-22 or KQ. It’s highly likely he missed.* So you play to steal, either raising the flop or calling it to steal on the turn.

When To Use Fixed Bet Sizes

Use set bet sizes when your opponents are paying attention. For example, if you’re up against difficult regulars in an online $2-$4 game, you should always open raise for the same amount, regardless of the hand. Betting and raising a specific part of the pot hides your hand range. It makes hand reading difficult.

When Not To Use Fixed Bet Sizes

However, don’t fall into the trap of continually placing fixed bet sizes. Fixed bet sizes conceal information, but usually at the expense of value. Many times, the trade-off is not worth it, and you should alter your bet sizes to take advantage of weak opponents. This occurs most frequently in live games. For example:

You play a loose live $2-$5 game with $1,000 stacks. Your opponents aren’t paying attention, aren’t adapting, and don’t worry about calling big raises before the flop. One player makes $20. It signifies little. Two players place a call. You have K♠ K♦ on the button. What should you do?

You may employ a fixed stake size, such as “raise the pot,” which means a raise to $67. However, these opponents do not use information well, and Kings is a powerful hand. It may sound absurd, but in some games, you can bet $150 and still be called by numerous lesser cards.

The AA-22, KQ range has nine sets, 60 underpairs, and 16 king-high combinations, including the K♥Q♥. He is 76-9 versus having a set. Even if he only bets half the pot on top pair, he is a strong favorite to have top pair or better.

Even against clever opponents, you can adjust your preflop raise sizes if your opponents are unable or unwilling to use that information to limit your hand range. For example:

You’re in a loose, aggressive $10-$20 online game with $4,000 effective stacks versus clever opponents. They make good use of knowledge. However, preflop, several players make massive raises with marginal hands in late position. The cutoff sells for $60, and the button rings. Small blind folds. You have A♥A♦ in the large blind. What should you do?

Ordinarily, you would simply raise the pot. But this time, you decide to go bigger for a variety of reasons. One is that the game has been playing quite aggressively for the past hour. Everyone is 3-betting and squeezing left and right, so a large 3-bet will be seen suspiciously, even if you haven’t participated in the shenanigans. Also, you’re 200bb deep, so you’d like to make a lot of money preflop with aces. This reduces a caller’s implied probability of hitting a better hand, potentially leading him to stack off with KK/QQ or even less.

Within a game, you may be able to select which opponents to raise against. In a difficult game, suppose you have a strong hand versus the only weak player, a calling station. You would place a two-thirds pot bet against any other opponent at the table. But this opponent will make many more calls. Take advantage. Bet as much as you believe he will call.

If your opponents don’t notice, or don’t change their behavior even if they do, adjust your stake size and go for the more profitable move. Otherwise, utilize predetermined bet sizes to conceal your range.

Fixed Bet Sizes Should Vary With The Situation

A fixed bet indicates that you always bet the same amount in a certain situation. Many players understand “situation” to mean something like “on the flop.” But poker is more complex than that. For example, betting the flip after opening from under the gun with a narrow range differs from betting the flop after opening from the button with 60% of your holdings. therefore are vastly different scenarios, and therefore require distinct fixed bet amounts.

Fixed bet sizes hide information. However, some facts cannot be concealed. For example, you cannot conceal your position. If you raise under the gun, your opponents will know. So feel free to choose a different fixed bet size under the gun compared to the button.

Many more factors are known to everyone. Because everyone can see the board, you can select a different fixed stake size based on the cards displayed. Everyone can view the stack sizes, the pot size, each player’s position, and which opponents are still in the hand. Good opponents will also be familiar with their opponents’ playing styles. You can adjust the fixed bet size as these variables change. “Fixed” indicates that when you bet in a specific situation, you always bet the same amount, regardless of the hand in your range you happen to have.

Your range, position, stack sizes, opponent habits, and board texture all influence the appropriate fixed bet size for a given situation. You must also evaluate your opponents’ ranges and playing styles, implied odds, the level of aggression you may encounter, and the majority of the other aspects involved in poker. It sounds complicated, but it’s actually rather simple. Let’s get to it.

Sizing Fixed Bets

Choosing a fixed bet size begins with your range and what you hope to accomplish. Is your range limited and slanted towards made hands? Or is your range expansive and free of air? Are you playing mostly for the best hand or to steal? Many other factors can come into play, including stack sizes, pot size, number of opponents in the hand, and implied odds.

We’ll go over several hand scenarios and make broad recommendations for fixed open-raise sizes for different places, ranges, and stack sizes. These are merely suggestions for where to start. The new internet game is too challenging for cookie-cutter poker. In certain circumstances, we make a theory proposal and then instantly inform you that something different works better in practice. Similarly, if a suggested initial raise size does not work well for your game, you will need to alter.

The starting point for determining a fixed bet size for preflop and flop play is:

Match your bet size to the average strength of your range.

Strong ranges justify larger wagers. Suppose you’re raising preflop with AA-99, AK-AQ, and KQ. This strong range benefits most from having the greatest hand, not from stealing. When you play for the best hand, you prefer larger preflop pots. So, preflop, you’re better off raising more. If the normal preflop open-raise is 3bb, a 4bb raise will be more effective if your opponents call or reraise.

With broad ranges, instead of a preflop open-raise to 3bb, attempt 4bb.

Instead of betting half the pot, try two-thirds or more.

Weak ranges necessitate lower bets. Assume you open-raise the button with fifty percent of your hands. Your range is vast and includes numerous weak hands. In most cases, you will flip nothing or a weak pair. You’re not playing primarily to get the greatest hand.

You’re playing to steal. When you steal, you usually try to bet the fewest amount that will cause your opponent to fold, assuming he will fold. If the theft is successful, you win the same amount whether you stake 3BB or 20BB. However, if the heist fails, making a smaller gamble reduces your loss. Small bets are typically more effective when the range is limited.

For weak ranges, instead of a preflop open-raise to 3bb, consider 2.5bb or 2.25bb. Instead of betting half the pot on the flip, consider betting one-third.

Put another way:

If you have a wide range and profit from having the best hand, start with a greater fixed bet size.

If your range is so limited that stealing is profitable, start with a smaller fixed bet size.

We say “starting point” because range strength is not the sole consideration. Sometimes game conditions or opponents will force you to place larger or smaller wagers. For example, if no one folds to your 2.25bb button raises, increase the raise.

Remember, we are discussing fixed bet sizes. When betting, use the same amount regardless of which hand in your range you have.

Let’s run through some particular instances. We’ll begin with some examples from 10-handed games to further demonstrate some crucial issues.

Hand Situations

In the following scenarios, you are playing a relatively difficult online $1-$2 game.

Situation 1: Open-Raising Under The Gun

• Players at the table: 10
• Effective stack size: 100bb
• Your position: Under the gun
• Your range: AA-TT, AK

Preflop

Most players open for 3bb or 3.5bb under the gun, regardless of how close their range is. However, we believe that if you’re playing a really tight range like this one, you might consider using a larger fixed bet size.

First, there is no expense to a greater raising size. Big pairs and AK can call or reraise traditional three-bets. Because you will not fold preflop, there is no immediate penalty for raising to 4bb or 4.5bb rather than 3bb. Compare this to a theft attempt. If you open-raise with a broad range on a steal, you will frequently fold to a 3-bet. When you raise to 4bb instead of 3bb on a steal, you lose an additional 1bb every time you fold to a preflop 3-bet.

Second, many opponents are almost indifferent between a 4bb raise and a 3bb raise. You don’t mind calls before the flop because you have strong hands. You don’t mind getting called by weak aces and kings since when they hit top pair, you usually beat them. If raising to 4bb instead of 3bb does not force opponents to fold more of the inferior hands in their 3bb raise calling range, you should go with the 4bb bet.

Third, stack-to-pot ratio concerns have little bearing on the decision between 4bb and 3bb in 100bb games unless 3-betting is widespread. Unless stacks are short, a 3-bet is required to get a low SPR. If loose 3-bets are uncommon, disregard SPR when determining a fixed bet size. If loose 3-bets are common, and the 3-bettor is undecided between a 3bb and a 4bb raise, rising to 4bb is preferable. A 4bb raise improves SPRs for top-pair and overpair hands*.

What if the stacks were shorter? With 40bb stacks, it is illegal to raise to only 3bb with your strong range if your opponents would call or 3-bet a larger raise. For example, a 4.5bb raise produces an SPR of under 4 heads up, whereas a 3bb raise produces significantly less appealing SPRs of 5-6.

Overall, for AA-TT and AK, raising under the gun to 4bb or 4.5bb is preferable to raising to 3bb. If your opponents are still willing to play with you, raise to 5bb.

What if they just fold whenever you raise to 4.5bb? Smile! You’re making money. You win 1.5 billion every time this happens. You can probably improve, though. You may raise to simply 4bb instead, or take advantage of their tightness by including a couple hands in your opening range.

With 100bb stacks, an open-raise of 3bb followed by a positional two-thirds pot reraise to 8bb results in a pot of 17.5bb and an SPR greater than 5. If you raise to 4bb, these positional two-thirds-pot reraises result in a pot of 22bb and an SPR of 4 with 100bb stacks. An SPR of 4 is frequently easier and more rewarding when playing a top-pair hand than an SPR of 5.

Finally, raise as much as you can get away with. Experiment with raising the typical increase size. If you often open for 3.5bb, consider 4.5bb or 5bb. If you don’t receive any results, tinker more. And remember that winning 1.5 billion in blinds is never a bad thing.

Flop

Let’s imagine one or two opponents call your 4BB raise. What fixed bet size should you place on the flop?

Your range of AA-TT, AK greatly favors powerful hands on the flip. You won’t be bluffing often. So, bet large. We recommend a default stake size of two-thirds of the pot and the pot. Start by betting three-quarters of the pot and watch how things go. If they fold too frequently, reduce the stake size. If they keep playing back at you, up your bet to a pot size to take advantage.

Does it matter if you hit the flop? Yes, but not when selecting a fixed bet size. It only important when determining whether to check or bet. For example, if you miss the flip, you may check more frequently. However, regardless of whether you hit the flop, you should wager the same amount.

Is it important which opponent you face? Absolutely. Feel free to employ varying bet sizes against various opponents. For example, assume your opponent calls with a large range preflop and frequently bluffs postflop. His extensive preflop range and frequent postflop wagers indicate that he is heavily bluffing and semibluffing.* His range is biased toward weaker hands. Meanwhile, your range favors top pairs and overpairs. Take advantage by doing whatever yields the most. If he’ll bluff at pot-sized bets, go big. If not, consider placing a lower fixed stake, such as half the pot or less, to encourage him to bluff.

Should you ever deviate from your fixed bet size? Yes, if it will result in good action. This is especially true for unobservant opponents. Remember that we utilize set bet sizes to hide our ranges. If our opponent is not paying attention, the disguise is unnecessary. For instance, an aggressive opponent may see tiny bets as weakness. He is not particularly observant, in part because he chats a lot when 12-tabling. This is an ideal position for varying your bet sizes. When you hit, you may bet half of the pot or less to elicit a bluff-raise or float. Fixed bet sizes are merely the default. If you have a valid reason to vary your bet sizes, do so.

Situation 2: A Wider Range Under The Gun

• Players at the table: 10
• Effective stack size: 100bb
• Your position: Under the gun
• Your range: AA-22, AK-AJ, KQ

Preflop

Your opening range here is greater than in Situation 1.

Should your normal bet size increase or decrease?

Lower! The addition of 99-22, AQ-AJ, and KQ to the range changes things.

Here is the breakdown:

• Big pairs AA-TT: 30 combos (21%)
• Other pairs 99-22: 48 combos (34%)
• AK-AJ, KQ: 64 combos (45%)

This range is significantly weaker than the previous range. Smaller bets are appropriate for weaker ranges, according to our criteria. This is a medium-strength range, thus we recommend a fixed bet of around 3bb. However, you may wish to remove a portion of this range. Here’s why.

Your average equity with pairs 99-22 is significantly lower than with premium hands. With these pairings, you want to steal the blinds as cheaply as possible, play a multiway pot for a tiny bet to maximize set value, or—if that isn’t possible—go heads-up against someone who will let you steal after the flip. Overall, you don’t want to put much money in before the flop.

Big card hands. AQ-AJ and KQ also struggle under the gun 10-handed. For starters, if they hit top pair or better, they’re unlikely to face another top-pair hand. Even if they face an inferior top-pair, they are unlikely to win any money. You want the weaker top-pair hands to come in. Smaller raises may encourage this. Second, like all large card hands, AQ-AJ and KQ miss the flop the majority of the time. If you can’t steal efficiently when they miss, you’ll want to put less money in the pot before the flop and raise less.

Third, if a tight player 3-bets in this 10-handed game, you will most likely have to fold AQ-AJ, KQ. When the likelihood of being forced to fold preflop is high, you favor lesser raise levels or avoid the hands. All of this indicates a lesser rise size.

If you’re curious about how often you’ll be dominated when you have a big card hand or pair, check out the chart below.

Number of Opponents Remaining

	9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	1
K K	4.4	3.9	3.4	2.9	2.4	2.0	1.5	1.0	0.5
Q Q	8.6	7.7	6.7	5.8	4.8	3.9	2.9	2.0	1.0
J J	12.6	11.3	9.9	8.6	7.2	5.8	4.4	2.9	1.5
T T	16.5	14.8	13.0	11.3	9.5	7.6	5.8	3.9	2.0
A K	4.4	3.9	3.4	2.9	2.4	2.0	1.5	1.0	0.5
A Q	16.8	15.0	13.2	11.4	9.6	7.7	5.8	3.9	2.0
A J	27.8	25.1	22.2	19.3	16.3	13.2	10.0	6.8	3.4
A T	37.7	34.2	30.5	26.6	22.6	18.5	14.1	9.6	4.9
K Q	24.4	21.9	19.4	16.8	14.1	11.4	8.6	5.8	2.9
K J	34.5	31.2	27.8	24.2	20.6	16.7	12.8	8.7	4.4
K T	43.5	39.6	35.5	31.2	26.6	21.9	16.8	11.5	5.9
Q J	40.8	37.1	33.1	29.0	24.7	20.2	15.5	10.6	5.4
Q T	49.0	44.8	40.3	35.5	30.5	25.2	19.4	13.3	6.9
J T	54.1	49.7	44.9	39.8	34.3	28.3	22.0	15.1	7.8

This graph depicts the percentage likelihood that a big card hand will face one or more dominant hands given the number of players remaining to act preflop. It presupposes that everyone up until that moment has folded. For the purposes of this chart, a dominating hand is one that has you badly beaten preflop or that will frequently land you in big difficulty if you flop top pair. So, AA and KK dominate AK, TT dominates AA-JJ, and KJ dominates AA-JJ, AK, AJ, and KQ.

Assume you are under the gun in a six-handed game. There are five players remaining to act, therefore TT is dominated 9.5% of the time and KJ is dominated 20.6%.

This chart cannot be used in the same way in every situation. If you intend to play the hand out of position against strong opponents, you should fold any hand with a 20% or higher chance of being dominated. Under the gun 10-handed, you are limited to AA-TT and AK-AQ.

Under the gun 6-handed, you are limited to AA-TT (lower pairs are not included here), AK-AJ, and KQ. However, as you approach the button, your odds of picking up the blinds with a raise improve. When the blind stealing equity is significant, it largely compensates for the danger of dominance.

We propose that you ignore the chart on the button. Stealing blinds is too profitable to be concerned about preflop dominance.

Returning to the bet-sizing concept, the hands 99-22, AQ-AJ, and KQ make up two-thirds of the new range. These additions work best for smaller open-raises. As a result, Situation 2’s larger range may be better suited to a lower fixed raise size than Situation 1. In addition, you should consider dropping the weaker end of this range in some games.

Try rising to 2.5bb or 3bb to see which works best.

Flop

Your range is significantly lower than in Situation 1. Most of the time, you’ll miss the flop. Consider betting lower amounts on the flip, such as half the pot or somewhat less. The smaller the bet size, the lower your cost of c-bet bluffing.

This is merely the beginning point. Poker demands adaptation. If several opponents consistently attack your little c-bets, modify by betting half to two-thirds of the pot instead. If that doesn’t work, try tightening up from an early position.

The sole difference between Situations 1 and 2 is the opening range. Your range is the most significant consideration when deciding on a set bet amount against thinking opponents. We calculated the optimal preflop raise amount for each hand in the range and then took the weighted average. This works reasonably well for estimating the “best” fixed preflop raise size for a given range.

To repeat:

Match your bet size to your range’s average strength. Then make adjustments for the other elements.

Situation 3: A Shorter Stack Under The Gun

• Players at the table: 10
• Effective stack size: 30bb
• Your position: Under the gun
• Your range: AA-22, AK-AJ, KQ

Preflop

Your range is the same as in Situation 2, but your stack size varies. How does this change things?

First, as previously said, in tough 10-handed games, you should definitely drop a few hands from this range.

Are you primarily looking to make the best hand with this range? With 30bb stacks, the answer is generally yes. First, your opponents may wrongly 3-bet you with a large range. With a low 30bb stack, you’re glad to see a light 3-bet so you can push. Second, if you can realistically go all-in when you reach top pair or better with AA-22, AK-AJ, or KQ, you will benefit greatly from having the best hand.

When stacks are modest, stack-to-pot ratios play an important role in selecting the best fixed preflop raise amount. Here, the effective stacks are 30bb. If you raise to 3BB, heads-up pots will have SPRs of roughly 4. If you instead raise to 4bb, heads-up pots will have SPRs of approximately 3.

This greater bet size can significantly increase expectation, even if opponents fold more frequently to the 4bb stake. When you want to make the best hand and have a good SPR versus inferior ranges, raise enough to get there.

Your ranges in situations 2 and 3 are identical. The only thing that had changed was the effective stack size. With 100bb stacks in Situation 2, we recommend starting with an open-raising to 2.5bb or 3bb. In Situation 3, the effective stacks are 30bb. With 30bb stacks, it is much easier to play for commitment with top pairs. This substantially altered our strategy. With 30bb stacks, we advocate playing for commitment and increasing to 4bb.

SPR is the motivating force for selecting a fixed preflop raise amount when your range is skewed toward top-pair hands and stacks are small.

Let us look at 6-handed games.

Situation 4: A Tight Range Under The Gun In 6-Max

• Players at the table: 6
• Effective stack size: 100bb
• Your position: Under the gun
• Your range: AA-TT, AK

Your range is the same as in Situation 1, but you’re playing at a 6-handed table rather than a 10-handed one. Does this have an impact on anything?

Yes. This range is far too narrow. Add extra hands. If you just raise these premium pairs and AK, go for a greater fixed bet size, just like in Situation 1. But, in general, if this describes you, stop being a wuss and broaden your scope.

Situation 5: A Wider Range Under The Gun In 6-Max

• Players at the table: 6
• Effective stack size: 100bb
• Your position: Under the gun
• Your range: AA-99, AK-AJ, KQ, and occasionally a lesser pair, suited connector, or small suited ace

Preflop

This is a great range with a nice mix of premium and non-premium hands. Let’s discuss about selecting a set bet size.

First, how frequently will someone three-bet? Assume you anticipate many 3-bets. What are you going to do if it happens? If you expect to fold a large percentage of your range, you should either open-raise for less or drop some hands. (Occasionally, a greater stake will prevent some of the 3-bets and perform better.) Folding to three bets costs less when the fixed raise size is less. If you don’t expect to fold to 3-bets frequently, feel free to make greater raises.

Second, how frequently will you pull down the blinds? This can have a huge impact in 6-handed games. For blind stealing, you want to raise just enough to do the job. For example, a rise to 3bb or 3.5bb may be sufficient.

What about postflop stealing? If you can steal more pots postflop, you prefer more money going in before the flop and may raise more. However, under pressure from powerful opponents, most players are unable to steal enough postflop pots to warrant a higher raise.

Overall, we recommend rising to 3bb for beginning and then adjusting accordingly.

Flop

This works similarly to Situation 2.

Situation 6: Open-Raising From The Cutoff

• Players at the table: 6
• Effective stack size: 100bb
• Your position: Cutoff
• Your range: 30 percent of hands

22+,A2s+,K9s+,Q9s+ JTs-87s, J9s-97s A2o+,KTo+,QTo+,JTo

Preflop

Choosing an initial bet amount from the cutoff can be difficult because it is so dependent on how the button and blinds perform. If they are tight, try to steal the blinds. Here, your range is 30% of the starting hands. It’s an excellent start for a stealing range. You may enlarge or shrink it depending on how close the three players on your left are.

When your range is broad and geared toward steal hands, choose for smaller fixed bet sizes. Bet just enough to finish the job. If you match your bet size to the average strength of your range, increasing it to 2bb or 2.5bb is ideal. However, this is merely the beginning, and everything might go wrong from here. In the cutoff, you’re hoping to persuade three players to fold, and the button has a strong incentive to play. In most contemporary online $1-$2 games, increasing to 3bb or 3.5bb from the cutoff performs better.

Tighten up if the button wins a lot of hands against you. If he 3-bets frequently, consider how often you will call it down postflop. If the answer is “often,” you should invest more money in preflop. If the response is “not often,” you should invest less money in preflop.

Situation 7: Open-Raising From The Button

• Players at the table: 6
• Effective stack size: 100bb
• Your position: Button
• Your range: 51.4 percent of hands

22+, A2s+, K2s+, Q8s+, J7s+ T9s-54s, T8s-53s, T7s-85s

A2o+, K9o+, Q9o+, JTo-54o, J9o-75o, J8o-85o

Opening on the button is a unique situation that necessitates a multi-pronged approach. Here’s the big question: Will the majority of your profits come preflop or postflop? Taking the blinds before the flop typically yields the highest reward. When this is the case, bet the minimum amount necessary to complete the job. If the majority of your profits come after the flop, you don’t mind increasing the pot and should raise more.

Preflop

Assume the blinds play around AA-22, AK-AT, KQ-KJ, some suited connectors, and the rare suited ace, suited one-gapper, and unsuited connector. This represents around 20% of hands. Preflop theft is incredibly profitable. You may be accustomed to making a pot-sized 3.5bb opening raise on the button, but you want to wager the least amount that will cause these tight blinds to fold. In practice, this is usually 2.5 or 2.25bb.

Small open-raises offer the lowest price for winning the blinds. They also reduce the cost of folding to three bets.

When the blinds play only 20% of their hands, you should open-raise at least half of your hands from the button. This assumes that the blinds do not relax and that you will not lose money after the flop. If they don’t and you won’t, you’ve discovered a goldmine. If the blinds do not adjust, you can increase the range of your button open-raising to include all hands. It is free money. Don’t be afraid to open-raise your hands 60 percent or more from the button, especially when facing tight blinds.

To beat looser blinds who play, say, 30% of their hands and 3-bet 10% of them, you must win a few pots postflop or tighten up preflop. Against blinds who play 30% of their hands, you steal the blinds nearly half of the time you raise. If you open-raise for 2.25bb or 2.5bb, you typically just need to take a small fraction of the postflop pots to make a profit. This assumes you don’t spew for stacks or pay off whenever your opponent hits.

Flop

Assume you open-raised preflop to 2.25bb from the button. One of the blinds called. The flop arrives, and the blinds check. Most of the time, you’ll c-bet here. What amount should you bet?

Your range is heavily biased toward weak hands. Most of the time when you wager, you are bluffing. The optimum c-bet size is the smallest bet that causes your opponent to fold frequently. You could start by betting a third to a half of the pot. Surprisingly, some opponents fold nearly as many hands to a third-pot bet as to a half-pot bet. Betting half the pot against such an opponent is unwise. The smaller third-pot stake produces the same results at a lesser cost.

If you are fortunate enough to face an opponent who routinely folds to even smaller c-bets, bet less.

Against challenging opponents in the $1-$2 range, greater flop bet sizes typically result in the highest profit. Consider betting two-thirds of the pot and adjusting from there. To summarize, after raising to $4.50 or $5 and being called by one blind, this means betting $7 or $8.

Elasticity Of Bluff Sizes

Here is a question for you. Assume a half-pot bluff takes the pot down one-third of the time. How many times does a pot-sized bluff have to win to be equally profitable?

Most people instinctively respond two-thirds of the time. The proper answer is half the time. Suppose the pot is $10. A half-pot bluff costs $5. The bluff results in a pot of $15. If you win $15 one-third of the time, your expected return is $5. Subtract the $5 cost of the bluff, and you’ll break even. Similarly, a $10 pot-sized bluff produces a $20 pot. Win half of the time, and you’ll break even on your $10 bet.

Assume a half-pot bet pays out 50% of the time. To have the same anticipated value, a pot-sized bet must win only 62.5% of the time.

Don’t let your intuition trick you. When stealing, larger bets must be more successful than smaller bets. However, with success rates ranging from 30 to 70 percent and stake sizes ranging from one-third to the pot, larger bets do not need to succeed as frequently.

In other words, betting more is usually not that expensive. It simply feels like way.

Situation 8: Open-Raising The Button Against Looser Blinds

• Players at the table: 6
• Effective stack size: 100bb
• Your position: Button
• Your range: 60.2 percent of hands

22+, A2s+, K2s+, Q5s+, J5s+, T5s+

98s-32s, 97s-53s, 96s-63s, 95s-73s

A2o+, K5o+, Q8o+, J7o+, T9o-54o, T8o-64o, T7o

Preflop

Assume the blinds play about AA-22, any Broadway, Axs, suited connectors to 54s, and about half of their suited one-gappers and connectors to 54 (about 25% of hands). They 3-bet on approximately 3% of hands. These opponents play a lot of hands, but they’re not big on reraises, which is surprising given that you’re opening 60% of your range. Such players are becoming less popular as online gaming improves, but you may still find plenty of them in lower-stakes games.

Your initial range here is 60%. Is it too loose?

No. The theft of blinds continues to be a lucrative business. You will raise the blinds 56% of the time, call 38% of the time, and increase the blinds 6% of the time. Every time you open-raise from the button, you have a 0.84bb immediate expectation of stealing the blinds. This is so high that blind theft becomes your primary objective. Because stealing generates the most of your profit, use a tiny fixed bet size. Begin by upping half the pot to 2.25bb. If the blinds do not adjust by playing more hands and increasing their 3-betting, try minraising to 2bb. If they begin playing more hands or 3-betting more, raise to 2.5bb.

Flop

On the flop, the same rule applies. Your range is limited, so begin by betting a tiny portion of the pot, such as one-third. If they don’t fold regularly at this stake size, bet half the pot instead. If they consistently fold to a one-third-pot bet, consider betting less. Consider betting 1bb in the odd event that your opponents frequently fold. Choose the quantity that yields the highest profit.

As an aside, even against sticky postflop players, you may use the occasional 1bb c-bet against them. It may appear very suspect, as if you are attempting to encourage a checkraise, and you may make a mistake. But do not overdo it. Also, keep in mind that this entire section focuses on fixed bet sizes. You could also check.

Situation 9: Adjusting Bet Size For Different Blind Opponents Postflop

• Players at the table: 6
• Effective stack size: 100bb
• Your position: Button
• Your range: 60.2 percent of hands

22+, A2s+, K2s+, Q5s+, J5s+, T5s+

98s-32s, 97s-53s, 96s-63s, 95s-73s

A2o+, K5o+, Q8o+, J7o+, T9o-54o, T8o-64o, T7o

Let’s take a moment to discuss an important point concerning fixed bet sizes. We employ fixed bet sizes to disguise information. Everyone knows who your opponents are, therefore having a different set bet size against various opponents provides no information.

Assume you open-raise to 2.25bb on the button because you believe 2.25bb works best versus this pair of blinds. Here’s an example of how you could employ different postflop bet sizes against various opponents:

Assume the large blind plays around 20% of his cards preflop and weak-tight postflop. He is a typical weak blind defender. When you raise and he calls, the pot increases to 5bb. If you c-bet 1.5bb, he frequently folds. This is an excellent blind opponent. He folds too frequently, both before and postflop. When he is the caller, take advantage by placing tiny 1.5bb continuation bets.

In comparison, the small blind plays roughly 20% of his hands, but he becomes sticky after the flop. When he calls your 2.25bb preflop raise, the pot increases to 5.5bb. But when you c-bet 1.5bb, he calls and checkraises considerably more frequently than the large blind. When you c-bet 3.5bb, he folds significantly more. So you adjust. When the large blind calls, you place a c-bet of 1.5BB. When the small blind calls, place a c-bet of 3.5bb.

Feel free to use different fixed bet sizes against different opponents if the scenario warrants it.

Situation 10: A Button Open-Raise Against A Dream Opponent

• Players at the table: 6
• Effective stack size: 100bb
• Your position: Button
• Your range: 60.2 percent of hands

22+, A2s+, K2s+, Q5s+, J5s+, T5s+

98s-32s, 97s-53s, 96s-63s, 95s-73s

A2o+, K5o+, Q8o+, J7o+, T9o-54o, T8o-64o, T7o

Preflop

In this case, one of the blinds plays approximately 20% of his hands. The other is on call tilt. He calls anything that seems remotely playable with roughly 60% of his hands. He three-bets premium pairs and AK-AQ. When he calls, he plays fit-or-fold, checking after the flop if he misses. If he flops a gutshot straight draw or better, he calls the flop and checkfolds on the turn if the draw fails. He generally raises the flip when he gets second pair or better. You’ve discovered an ideal opponent. How do you take advantage of him?

Most of your profit will come after the flop, so raise extra. Begin by increasing to 4bb. If this were a heads-up, you’d gladly raise to 5BB or higher if he still calls. However, the second blind can wake up with a hand, so don’t raise to 5bb.

Flop

Assume your ideal opponent calls your flop bet. When your opponent misses, he checkfolds, and your range is extremely limited. You should place a tiny stake. If a third-pot bet is sufficient, wager it. If not, bet half of the pot.

If he calls your c-bet, fire a second barrel at the turn. This opponent frequently raises the flop with large hands. As a result, when he calls a flop c-bet, he is typically weak.

The majority of your profit after the flop requires a particularly terrible opponent. Normally, when open-raising from the button, the benefit comes from stealing blinds, therefore smaller bets are more effective.

Situation 11: Open-Raising From The Small Blind

• Players at the table: 6
• Effective stack size: 100bb
• Your position: Small blind
• Your range: Varies

This is difficult since adjusting your bet size to your range’s average strength does not work. Too much is based on the big blind’s habits. There are two important decisions. First, how many hands should you play? Second, given this range, how much should your increase be? Here are a few suggestions.

Weak-Tight Opponent

Assume the big blind is actually weak-tight. When facing such a player, you should raise multiple hands from the small blind. Raising the button against tight blinds should have no impact on your strategy. Blind thievery remains the primary source of earnings, and you want to raise as little as possible to complete the task.

Begin by playing many hands, such as the 60% range you opened from the button.

Test the large blind. If he continues to fold, keep increasing.

As a starting point against a weak-tight huge blind, raise to 2.5 or 3bb. Adjust from there.

Solid Opponent

Tighten up against a competent large blind defender who isn’t going to lay down for you. You could begin by lifting with 30% of your hands or less.

The large blind will be in position, so make him pay for playing the hand. Begin by experimenting with bet sizes ranging from 3BB to 4BB. Some otherwise excellent players play essentially the same set of hands regardless of whether the raise is 3bb or 4bb. Since your goal is to steal the blinds, you prefer a smaller raise size if it is possible.

Tougher opponents will require you to earn their money. In practice, increasing to 4bb may be more effective against them. This encourages them to play and makes it easier for them to lie down. After all, you’re charging a high fee to take the pot. If they’re very tough, you could have to play fewer hands.

A Special Case

Occasionally, a big blind will see many flops but play weak-tight postflop. Call it a see-a-flop tilt. Against him, open-raise to 4bb or 5bb preflop. On the flip, c-bet frequently for half the pot or somewhat more. Adjust from there.

Flop

On the flip, the appropriate fixed bet size is highly dependent on your range. If you open-raised with a narrow range, betting two-thirds of the pot is usually sufficient. With a broader range, betting half the pot is more effective if it causes the large blind to fold. But be adaptable. A cookie-cutter strategy is rarely enough for blind-on-blind play between intelligent opponents. You’ll have to compete for the pot and be innovative.

Summary Concepts

To determine a fixed preflop bet size, begin by betting your range’s average strength. If your range is wide and your benefit comes from having the best hand, utilize a higher fixed bet amount. If your range is so limited that the benefit comes from stealing, choose a smaller set bet amount. Adjust as needed.

Preflop, while selecting a fixed bet size, consider the following concepts:

• A fixed bet means that you bet the same amount regardless of which hand in your range you have.
• One size doesn’t fit. Fixed bets are used in specific situations, including “out of position against Tom in a 3-bet pot with an ace-high flop.” Fixed bet does not imply that you employ the same bet size for widely defined scenarios, such as “on the flop.”
• Feel free to employ varying fixed stake sizes against various opponents. For example, against a frequent bluffer, smaller fixed stake sizes may be preferable if they stimulate more bluffing.
• If you’re playing primarily to make the best hand, which means you have a wide range, begin by raising more. Adjust from there.
• If you expect to make a lot of money from stealing blinds, start small.
• You’re opening a wide range from the cutoff, thus a small raise may be the best option. In practice, a greater stake amount of 3bb or 3.5bb works well.
• The majority of players in the blinds fold to 5bb almost as frequently as 4bb. This makes it significantly more advantageous to spend only 2.5bb to steal the blinds from the button.
• If you’re playing primarily for the best hand and the stacks are low, keep an eye on your SPRs. Against shortstackers, SPR plays a significant role in selecting an optimal fixed preflop raise. For example, say the effective stacks are 40bb. If you increase to 3bb, heads-up pots will have SPRs of 5 or higher. If you instead raise to 4bb, heads-up pots will have SPRs of about 4. This can significantly boost expectation, even if opponents fold more frequently to the 4bb bet.
• When picking a fixed bet size, you may usually ignore SPR if the effective stacks are 70-100bb. You still employ SPR concepts for postflop play, but not for determining a fixed preflop bet size.
• If you predict a large reward from stealing after the flop, you may raise more preflop. Larger preflop bets result in larger postflop pots, which typically result in a higher profit if you win the majority of postflop pots. As a general guideline, if you believe you will win much more than your share of pots with a flop, you should put more money in the pot before the flop. Consider the times you raised, received a 3-bet, and called. Two people see the flip. If you expect to win roughly 70% of these pots, you have motivation to raise more preflop.

When deciding on a fixed bet amount for postflop play, consider the following concepts:

• When your preflop range produces more made hands than missed hands on the flop, begin by betting larger on the flop. Adjust from there.
• This is only a rule of thumb. It may fail because it does not account for implied odds. For example, suppose you expect to win 70% of the pots. The rule of thumb is to put more money in. Assume the average pot you win is tiny, as it is with successful c-bet bluffs. If the pots you lose are significantly larger, such as after failed c-betting, you may lose money postflop while winning 70% of the pots.
• When your preflop range is heavily skewed toward missed hands and inferior pairs, begin by betting less on the flop. Again, you will need to make adjustments from there.

Choosing the appropriate fixed bet sizes necessitates substantial estimation. Our beginning points are simply that: starting points. You will need to adjust your fixed bet sizes to the game conditions. Try our recommended beginning points first, but don’t be afraid to change them if they don’t work.