C-Bet sizing
Curious on if you vary your sizing based on these scenarios. In all cases, you're 150 BBs deep, raised the pot pre with AK35(6), were called, and the flop is KK9.
Heads up, 4 Cards.
Heads up, 5 Cards.
3 way, 4 cards.
3 way, 5 cards.
5 way, 4 cards.
5 way, 5 cards.
I tend to just bet half pot with my air and with my kings in the first 4 scenarios. I don't fire with air 5 ways and tend to do at least some checking with a King to try to balance there.
3 Replies
I don't think the card amount should matter to sizing really.
Half pot is a decent sizing for sure HU or 3-way, I think the more players the smaller your bet can be (and thus more linear in strength).
In all spots how do you feel about being raised or check raised with a pot-sized bet? 5-way spots, that's 40ish BB and up. Are we check/calling next street?
I think the above makes me definitely lean small sizing for the 5-way spots. Small, as in 25-35% pot. What's calling you on flop anyway that wouldn't have 3! you pre? Probably pairs like TT-QQ, and hands that have straight draws.
How do you feel about cbet sizing from different positions, specifically very EP vs. very LP?
I find these paired board spots the hardest to play by far, esp against imaginative players. I think the argument for betting bigger is to deny equity, especially against worse kings.
The reason why I differentiated between 4 and 5 card is that more so in 5 card, you really end up doing a lot of guessing on the turn. Any card can be in your opponents hand, where I feel that's less so in 4 card, especially against opponents who you figure to play decently well preflop.
I don't tend to put too much into my position as far as my bet sizing. Bets out of position represent more strength, maybe? Not sure how that would affect proper sizings and I guess it's just something that I haven't thought about a whole lot.
As far as getting raised, it puts you in a pretty tough spot with naked trips. Yesterday, online, I played this one at 1/2. I opened on the button with 95432ds and was called by one of the blinds. Flop was K99. I bet half pot on flop and get c/r close to the pot. Right there, I think that's a pretty tough spot. I would fold against a lot of opponents here, but I call this time. Opponent leads a 7 turn for 3/4. Again, now what? My read was that he's capable. I call again. River is a 5. He checks. I tank and bet 1/2 the pot. He calls and I win. He has AK and I think that's a pretty horrendous call, but I think he leveled himself into it.
Bottom line, those are some tough decisions in a 1/2 game, which is why I said these are the toughest spots to play.
