Post-Flop Poker Bet Analysis

Deciding on bet strategies and amount is usually a difficult decision in post-flop poker. There are various possibilities we must consider to better equip our bet decisions with. The following play factors may help us come up with a wise bet strategy post-flop.

We begin by looking at what information the flop has divulged. Post-flop, there would be 3 to 5 cards already on the board which we and our opponents would see, and we and other players hold two each more. From these cards will be composed the final playing hands and the winning hand. So a betting strategy in pre-flop poker should make careful analysis of the 3 to 5 community cards on the table plus our hand, with careful consideration on the following points:

Seeing the flop cards, how can they help my hand get a best hand possible? With the pre-flop starting hands we have decided on playing, the community cards post-flop should give us assistance in completing our decided hand or else help us opt for another more possible hand given what we are shown on the board. This revelation on the board will aid us in deciding a bet strategy possible with the resources at hand.

Net consideration is trying to analyze (or accurately guessing) whether the board helps our opponent. Poker tells will help us in this. Putting our opponent on a specific hand by post-flop stage is very important for us to be able to come up with a bet strategy by this time. By seeing the opponent's bet or raise reactions (the opponent's hand-play) plus the opponent's boy reactions (poker tells) may help us pinpoint how the flop has so far benefitted the opponent.

Seeing the flop, what draws can the cards possibly allow us or the opponent? With the cards we're holding, is the flop able to afford us a flush or a straight draw? Like, say, 3 suited cards flopped, there's a big and scary chance that some player or players have hit a poker flush. If there are 2 suited cards, then a draw flush could be possible. Our betting post-flop is influenced by our read on these flopped cards.

If there should be a possibility of a straight, then the flopped cards should be close together for this purpose. If a player seems close to make a draw, then we make the draw costly for the player—no free cards. Post-flop bet analysis like this is possible when we know how to read the flop.