No-Limit Poker Cash Game: How Much to Bet?The beautiful
thing about No-Limit Hold'em is that a person can bet any amount at
any given time. The trick is finding that delicate balance between
betting too much on the flop and scaring off opponents or betting
too little and getting lots of people trying to draw on you.
On most flops when I've got a good hand, I'll usually bet 1/2 of the
full pot. I almost never bet 1/3 of the pot since I hate people
drawing out on me in No-Limit. Sure if your opponent has a flush
draw or an open-ended draw, you're giving him poor pot odds with 1/3
of the pot to call. But sometimes your opponent will hold two draws,
such as a gut shot draw and a flush draw, and he'd be correct in
calling because the pot odds aren't high enough to force him out.
It's up to you to figure out how much to bet and when. There are too
many situations to discuss them all, but the guidelines I've set out
can help you figure out a proper strategy for the flop.
When to Make Pot-Sized BetsThe best time to make a pot-sized
bet is when you feel your hand is in jeopardy from an opponent
trying to draw out on you. You may even want to bet more than the
pot. It's better to err on the size of betting too big as opposed to
betting too small in this situation because No-Limit Hold'em is
about implied odds. Even if you're giving your opponent poor odds to
call for a flush draw, you may be giving him correct implied odds.
For example, say you and your opponent both sit with $2,000. You hit
the flop and bet the size of the pot which, in this example, is
$100. If your opponent has the bankroll, it's correct for him to
call your $100 bet because if he hits he'll usually get your all-in
on a big pot like this. Even though the flush draw is 4-to-1 per
card, he's getting correct implied odds to call. Knowing your
opponent comes in handy in this situation. You'll want to bet the
pot size or even more if you know he'll call a lot on draws.
When to Make 2/3 Pot-Sized BetsThere are no set rules in
No-Limit Hold'em but most of the time I like to bet 2/3 of the total
pot size. The best time to make bets this size is when you suspect
your opponent is on a draw and your hand seems a little vulnerable,
so you don't want your opponent trying to draw on you.
When to Make ½ Pot-Sized BetsSimilar to the 2/3 bet, I love
betting 1/2 the pot when I hit trips, two pair, or any other strong
hand on the flop but don't mind my opponents trying to draw on me.
You sucker them in with a lower bet so it's just cheap enough for
them to keep trying for the draw. That way you get more money out of
them in the long run, making the pot sweeter for you. | 
