Poker Strategy - Flop Tips

When you have a made hand, bet it. If flop is AK5, bet with your KQ, maybe they'll fold. If one calls, then you have a decision to make, if you think he's drawing, continue to bet at him. If he's the type to call with the second best hand. Maybe check to him to see if he bets (he probably has a pair too, it just matters if it's ace low kicker or king lower kicker or a pocket pair).

When you pair but it's not the top pair, don't call a bet. Either raise or fold. Find out where you are on the flop. If you just flat call, that's a total of 5 small bets. If you raise and he comes back firing, you can probably fold and save yourself 3 small bets (unless he's a maniac, in which case just call him to river).

Drawing hands and pot odds: Always know your number of 'outs' i.e. number of cards that will make you a hand that you are pretty sure will win. Number of outs X2 + 2 is the percentage of hitting at the next card. So divide the pot by that number and if the bet is smaller than that, call. So, for example, suppose you are on a flush draw in a 10-20 hand, you have two spades in your hand and there are two on the flop. So there are 9 spades out there. The chances of hitting on turn are about 20%. So if pot is 80 and bet to you is 10, call! When calculating the pot size, it is generally best to remember future bets. For example, even though the pot is 80, if you hit, you'll win 40 more on turn/river bets. So all you really need is a 1/12 chance of hitting.

Bluffing

General rule of bluffing: It doesn't work until $5-10 or higher.

Semibluffing: this is betting when you don't have a made hand yet, but you can. For example, betting on a flush draw. Example: Flop is A64, you have KQ suited and there are two of your suit on your board. Go ahead and bet. Not only do you have a good chance of hitting, you also can steal the pot. ///Semi bluffing/// is only effective at higher levels; because at lower levels you are just value betting b/c people will call you.

Pure Bluffs: These don't work too well at limit, but they do work at times. At higher levels, if the flop is kind of scary, say AQ9, if the action is passed to you and there aren't many in it, go ahead and bet at it if you had shown strength preflop.