Part: Part Six - Betting After the Flop
Sizing to the board
Pre-flop
Folded to you on the cutoff with K♠Q♠; you raise and the big blind calls.
Folded to you with K♠Q♠. Best?
WhyOpen-raise. K-Q suited is a clear cutoff open.
What happensYou raise to 500; the big blind calls. Pot: 1,200 (6 BB).
Flop
Flop Q♥ 9♥ 4♣ - top pair, but the board is wet (flush and straight draws live). He checks.
Top pair on a draw-heavy board, he checks. Best size?
WhyBet larger. On a wet, draw-heavy board your top pair wants a bigger bet (~3/4 pot) to charge flush and straight draws and build the pot - a small bet gives draws a cheap card. On a dry board you'd size down; the texture sets the size.
What happensYou bet 900; he calls. Pot: 3,000 (15 BB).
Turn
Turn 2♠ - the draws miss. He checks again.
The board bricked and he checks. Best?
WhyBet again. You're still ahead and any remaining draw should pay; a second solid bet extracts value and denies free cards.
What happensYou bet 1,800; he folds. You take it.
You sized your bets to the board - big on the wet flop to charge draws, then kept betting when they missed. Board texture, not just hand strength, sets your bet size.
Bet bigger on wet, draw-heavy boards and smaller on dry ones - size to charge the draws your opponent could hold.