Betting your draws!

When playing NL Texas Hold ‘em, I believe one of the worst things in the world that you can do with your draws is to never bet them. I see this all of the time when playing poker, where my opponents will do a lot of check calling with their draws. When they do this, it tells me one of two things. Either they are on a draw, or they just don’t like their hand very much. Either way, if that draw doesn’t hit on the turn, I’m putting more pressure on you, because I know I’m ahead in the hand. It’s just a play I’ve never understood, flop that nut flush draw and just check and decide to call whatever bet someone else throws out there. If you’re willing to call $100, or even a $200 bet, then why not lead the betting yourself? If your willing to call, you might as well bet! When you call, there is no chance that you will pick up the pot just by getting your opponents to fold their hand. Also, when you never bet your draws, it makes it a lot easier for your opponents to put you on a hand when you do bet.

If you are check calling all of the time, then all of a sudden you are now betting at the pot, that should put a red flag up for your opponent. Why is he betting all of a sudden? He seems like a pretty passive player, and now, he’s betting? Passive players don’t like to bluff, so I’m sure he now has something. I’m going to fold and not pay him off.

When playing poker, that is the worst thing that you can have happening. When you make your hand, you never get paid off. This is why betting your draws can be more profitable when you do hit your hand. Like I said earlier, it makes it a lot harder for your opponents to put you on a hand, and now they don’t know that you just made the nuts, and they will be a lot more willing to pay you off with weaker hands.

By betting your made hands and non-made hands, it also puts pressure on the rest of the table. It makes you an aggressive player and helps give you control of your table. Believe me, most of your opponents are not going to want to get involved in hands with you, knowing that you are going to be constantly putting pressure on them. Add in the fact that they never know where you are in a hand, it is a bad combination for your opponents to be in. You have to constantly keep your opponents guessing.

So, by betting your draws, you will be able to pick up some hands without your draws getting there. Also, now that you are betting your draws you should make more profit on them when you do make your hand.

Good luck and hope to see you at the tables.