Value Bet (cash)

DEFINITION

Pocket jacks in the small blind is a little tricky to me. If you raise, everyone knows you have a strong hand and will fold when the board doesn't hit them. Alternatively, if overcards flop, you have a difficult decision to make. Do you bet out or should you check?

In this example, the cut-off (player 8) raised since three players limped in front of him. I called and so did two others. The flop was good for me, but I decided to slowplay and check it. I was a little worried that that player 8 might have a higher pair or that the other players in the pot might have flopped a monster, so I just called his continuation bet. The other players folded and it was then heads-up.

I checked again to see what player 8 would do. I felt that if he made another bet, it could mean he had a strong pair or he had some balls and was bluffing with overcards. My analysis wasn't just from experience - I also knew he was playing in multiple tables. If you've ever played on multiple tables, you'll know that it is fairly difficult to bluff because you're dealing with 32 players as opposed to just eight. So when player 8 checked, I knew I probably had the best hand.

The river brought a scare card which may have helped me. It put a possible straight out there but I wasn't too worried he had one. I decided to make a value bet since I felt like I had the best hand. Player 8 may have thought I was bluffing a straight and that may be why he called with just king high.