How to Bet After the Flop

Playing after the flop terrifies many players because of the high level of skill and risk it requires. In fact, many people will go “all-in” pre-flop just so they don’t have to “really” play post-flop. However, post-flop play is where you can establish your DOMINANCE at the table, win most of your pots, and maximize your POKER PROFITS.

Even though post-flop play is the key to success when playing poker, it is a skill that most poker players utterly LACK. So let me ask you: How do you think YOU size up?

There are several key strategies for post-flop play, and I’m going to share them with you here. Think about the last few times you’ve played poker. Think about what you did during each hand. What you did RIGHT and what you did WRONG.

The quickest, most surefire way to improve your poker game is to PLAY as much as you can. Then, ANALYZE how you played so you’ll do better the next time.

I’m going to share six post-flop strategies that will give you an advantage over your opponents, by allowing you to “out-skill” other players and to keep them from “out-drawing” you.

1. Sustained Aggression - After the flop, make sure that you don’t show any weakness. If you are confident that you have the best hand pre-flop, and the flop yields nothing but scraps, you probably still do.

For example, let’s say that you are dealt big slick and the flop comes 2, 5, 8. If you bet strong before the flop (as you should have), it is likely that the flop didn’t help anyone. Also, if the turn card is yet another small or unimportant card, don’t be afraid to fire out another strong bet.

It takes guts to fire out two bets and your opponents will rarely put you on a bluff after two strong moves.

So, make sure that you stay aggressive even if the flop does not help you. Since bad flops usually help no one, when you remain aggressive, you can usually scare away your competition and take the pot.

2. Remember Pre-Flop Action - There are many players who will see small flops and turns as a way to buy a pot.

Let’s say a player calls a bet before the flop, then checks after, and checks on the turn. If the river is also unexciting, but the player leads out for a big bet, chances are he’s bluffing.

Always think back to how other opponents played EARLIER in the hand when you think about how to play YOUR cards.

3. Raise And Re-Raise - You will never win a pot when you just call bets. I laugh when a player with a weak hand call bets all the way down the line. Then, when they are beaten by another weak hand, they immediately realize that a RAISE could have WON the hand.

If you have a mediocre hand, don’t just call a bet. Raise the pot and force others out of the hand. If your opponents re-raise you, chances are you are beaten and you should fold.

If you have a good hand, continue to bet more and more after each card. This will make it too expensive for weak hands to stay in the pot and will increase the pot size for you to win.

4. Look For Cheap Draws - If you are on a flush or straight draw, try to get as many cheap cards as you can.

Let’s say that you have an open-ended straight draw after the flop. If someone leads out with a small bet, just call. When you are on a draw, it is not your job to scare people out of the hand. You want as many people as possible to be in for a low price. This will fatten the pot if you catch a card and reduce your risk if you don’t.

5. Never Show Weakness - After the flop, there are many people who will be looking for you to show weakness. A check or a small bet will suggest weakness. When you show weakness after the flop, you are just asking for your opponents to come out firing. This means that staying in the hand will become very expensive and you will not be able to stay in the hand with marginal cards.

6. Watch For “Make” Cards - If you have a good hand, your biggest fear should be a card that can complete an even stronger hand.

Once, when I was playing at a casino in St. Louis, I flopped a nut flush draw. My opponent, Josh, however flopped a monster hand, trip aces! Josh decided to slow-play the trips, but failed to see the flush draw on the table. Then, on the turn, I caught my fifth spade.

Still, Josh failed to look past his trip aces and finally led out with a huge bet. With my nut-flush, I pushed in all my money, which covered his bet and his remaining $250.

Finally, Josh realized that I might have a flush, but it was too late. After already investing most of his stack in the hand, Josh called my all in bet. Josh could have easily won that hand and raked in a fair-sized pot. Instead, he ignored the “make” cards on the table and ended up losing all his money. (Not that I’m complaining.)

Playing your hands after the flop requires patience, aggression, and persistence. Also, effective post-flop play requires a solid understanding of basic and advanced poker concepts.

Million Dollar Poker Star

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