Playing the river is somewhat different than the previous betting rounds. Due to the fact that your hand has no further chance at improvement as no more cards will be forthcoming. You’re resigned to making the best hand using any five cards among the two cards dealt to you. And the five community cards on the board in Texas Hold’em. When playing the river card, there are a few factors to keep in mind prior to making a bet or deciding how best to play the hand – the correct river poker online strategy is important for maximizing value and minimizing losses.
If holding a marginal hand or mediocre hand, it is usually incorrect to bet on the river. If you’re unsure of the strength of your hand at the showdown stage and make a bet anyway. Your opponent has two choices. He can call or raise your bet with a better hand and beat you. Or he can fold his inferior hand. Your bet actually accomplishes nothing and will cause you to lose money if your hand is not the winner. Also, your bet is keeping your opponent from trying to buy the pot with a bluff with a weaker hand. Therefore, when you’re uncertain where you stand with a marginal hand, checking or calling would be the most prudent play poker online to make.
Bet the value on the river
However, if you’re quite sure that you are holding the best hand. You would be well-advised to bet for value on the river with a large bet. Many players mistakenly believe that a small bet would be more profitable in this situation. So as not to scare your opponent away. But a big bet – at or near the pot size – has been proven to be the best money-maker over the long haul. Large bets will be called less often. That is undoubtedly true.
A huge mistake seen countless times on the river is when players try to take a stab at winning the pot by making a reckless bluff. This is often attempted by inexperienced players who miss their draw. But they don’t want to miss out on taking the pot. These wild online poker bluffs seemingly come out of nowhere and are often out of place in regards to the progression of the hand up to the river card. A bet from a player who up to that point in the hand had been non-aggressive in checking and calling looks like a bluff and commonly has the result of fooling no one.
before you try bluffing on the river or if you are confronted with a possible bluff from an opposing player. Examine the betting patterns in previous rounds. If a player betting on the river has been consistently betting throughout the hand. Then his bet on the river should generally garner more respect than an out of the blue bet from a passive player on the flop and turn. Don’t bet on the river with an inferior hand just hoping for a fold from your opponent. That’s not a successful strategy.
Maximize profits minimizing losses
It is not incorrect to check on the river when you’re unsure as to who has a stronger hand. The goal is of maximize profits while minimizing losses and that cannot be achieved. If you are betting with a weak or losing hand and happen to get called. Checking is not a weak play in the right situations. And sometimes playing the river with a marginal hand would be one of those situations.
As is the case with the other betting rounds leading up to the river, the more knowledge you have about your opponents and what they might do in response to your play -whether you check or bet – the more successful you will be. So if you are quite certain that an opponent will call your bet on the river and you have a mediocre hand, then checking would be a better choice or option.
Happy playing!