How to Bet in No-Limit Holdem Tournaments

Hello,

Before anything, I would like first to share that I love your site. It’s been very helpful.

Well, I used to play no-limit Texas holdem tournaments. Because of this, I’ve got the chance to learn a lot of betting styles to varying degrees of success. However, I’m still clueless, I don’t know how do you bet when you flop to the ignorant end of a straight. And take note, you are at a table full of people who pay to the river on most hands.

Another thing, I’ve heard that from Mike Sexton, it’s advisable to bet 3-5 times the big blind almost without exception once you have the hand. How true is this? And about aggressive betting style, many have said that this style is very helpful. Is it true?

Well, in my opinion it is as you can actually blow the first two types of players off the table. By the way, in every pre-flop there are three types of players; the “folds”, the “calls”, and the “raises”. It’s also a similar thing in post flop. It’s helpful to be aggressive.

But I’m wondering. I don’t know if how many ways can I win now if I bet aggressively. Any idea?

By the way, I’ve also heard that it’s vital that you watch out for paint in the flop. Does this makes sense? Please, any idea will do.

Thank you.

All the best,
Hanz Crew

Hanz,

When you flop the low end of the straight, also known as the sucker end, how you bet it depends on your read of your opponent and also the flop itself. If you came in holding 4-5 and the flop came 6-7-8, the odds that your opponent is holding 9-5 or 9-10 are usually pretty long. Adversely, if you flop 8-9-10, and you hold 6-7, you may be against a player with Q-J.

An aggressive betting style is good for putting fear into your opponents and for stealing blinds and antes in tournaments and forcing weaker players out. The downside is that when you are beat, you will lose money. Betting aggressively gives you an additional way of winning by forcing your opponent to fold. When you just check or just bet small, it invites players to stay in the pot.

Watching for paint on the flop refers to watching for face cards, such as kings, queens, or jacks. I don’t know of any tip that recommends that you watch specifically for that, but you do need to be aware of potential hands at all times.

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Tags: aggressive betting, bet, betting, betting styles, check, flop, no limit, no-limit Texas Holdem tournaments, post flop, straight, sucker end, Texas Holdem, the "calls", the "folds", the "raises", tournaments