Raising for protection vs. for value

[Metalhead3201]

I read ToP and one thing I wasn't 100% sure about was the difference between raising for value and raising for protection. I think that what I understand is that you raise to get more money in the pot for you to win because you have best hand, and raising for protection is more used earlier in the hand like on the flop to raise with a hand that is good but could get beat on draws.

If someone could clear up what the difference is and the amount you should raise when raising for either.

[Messy Harry]

Seems like you're on the right track. In the former (value), you want calls. In the latter (protection), you don't.

[bernie]

[ QUOTE ]
In the latter (protection), you don't.


[/ QUOTE ]

Not exactly, but close. You don't mind the calls that won't be getting the odds to call and hit their hand. Thereby making you money in the longrun whether they hit their hand or not. Which is also a 'value' part of this raise. This is what puts you in the win-win situation. The hands you want to fold are the ones with odds to call.

b

[theRealMacoy]

Let me try and clarify raising for value a little more.

You don't necessarily have to have the best hand now to bet for value. You can also be on a draw (to make the best hand). The ability to bet for value comes from the odds you will make your draw and the number of opponents in the hand.

you have: Ah 8h
flop comes: Qh 7h 3s

With an Ace high flush draw on the flop you will make your flush by the river approx. 35% of the time. Now if your share of the betting on this round is less than 35% you can bet for value. Specifically if you have 3 opponents then you are contributing 25% of the bets that round (1 out of 4 players = 25%), which gives you an overlay of 10%. This overlay is your value. Love the overlay!

Thus the stronger your draw, the more you can bet for value against fewer opponents. Similarily the more opponents you have the weaker the draw you can have and still bet for value.

a bet for value is a bet on the percentage of time you will have the best hand at the end, compared with your contribution. Anytime this is greater than 50% you can bet for value against even only one opponent.

Hope this helps,

The Real Macoy

[college kid]

If you bet a marginal hand or a draw and everybody calls, it was a value bet; if they all fold, it was a semi-bluff...

Seriously though, SSH has a great advice about value betting and protecting your hand. Even though it's geared towards looser games, I think you can incorporate the advice successfuly anywhere, if you are using you head properly.