"Value Bet"?

[caretaker1]

I've seen this term thrown around a lot, but I'm not sure what it exacly means. What is the definition of a "value bet" or "betting for value"? Also, an example in the context of a poker hand would be helpful. Thanks in advance for help.

[SevenStuda]

Basically a value bet is a bet with a weak hand. For instance if you are playing Heads up texas holdem and the board reads 479j2, if you Bet AQ into you're opponent, it would be considered a value bet.

-Dimitri

[Zetack]

Well in this card player article they say its a bet on the river when one thinks one's hand is slightly better than the opponents. cardplayer article

I would have said its a bet, usually on the river, made when you judge your hand is probably better than your opponents despite action or a board that makes that judgement questionable.

--Zetack

[Leo Bello]

I always was confused by value bet also. the term mixes with semi-bluff and draws.
Like u have QT, flop comes 289. U have nothing. Lots of limpers around, u bet here to narrow the field, and to make the pot bigger in case u hit your str8 on turn or river, u can also hit a pair since u have higher cards then on table.

I have heard people say this is semi-bluff when u come into the pot betting high. When u make a small bet only to not let people draw for free it would be a value bet.

So, what is the correct way to understand value bet?

[cold_cash]

When you're betting "for value", you're betting because you think you have the best hand, therefore you want your opponent(s) to call. (You can also bet draws "for value", but that gets a little more complicated to explain. Hopefully someone smarter than me will step up and talk about that.)

If you bet as a semi-bluff, you usually know that chances are you don't have the best hand at the time you make the bet, but you've still got a "reasonable" chance of making the winning hand. Also, there is the chance your opponent(s) will fold, giving you the pot.

As opposed to a value-bet, when you semi-bluff, in most instances, you're hoping everyone will fold and you can take the pot right now.

Value bet = "I sure hope everyone calls."

Semi-bluff = "I hope they fold but if they call it's not the worst thing in the world. I've still got a fighting chance."

Pure-bluff = "I have zero chance of winning this pot if anyone calls. I hope they all fold."

[mat]

its a bet when you expect to get called. you want it to be called

[soah]

For betting a draw to be a value bet, you must have enough callers to make the bet positive EV. For example, if you think you'll win the hand one out of three times (nut flush draw), and there are eight people in the pot, you should bet for value even though you expect to lose the pot most of the time. You expect to lose one bet two out of three times, but win seven extra bets the third time.

By definition, a semi-bluff is a bet that hopes everyone will fold. Value betting your draw as opposed to semi-bluffing with it depends on how many callers you expect to get.

On the river, you usually bet either in hopes that a better hand will fold, or in hopes that a weaker hand will call. The former is a bluff, the latter is a value bet.

[RcrdBoy]

Wow. Reading all these replies it seems there is some confusion. I have also struggled with understanding this concept and how to apply it.

I have understood a value bet as a bet on the river that will get a worse hand to call enough to cover the times when a better hand would call and win or raise you.

For example, you have TPTK and have been betting the whole way and have been called the whole way and when the third of a suit comes on the river, will a bet in this situation be a winner enough times to make it worth betting?

I'm sure if I am wrong that someone will clear it up shortly. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[LeftBack]

How about:

Any bet with +EV?

For example, if you have a OESD (8 outs = 31.5% success) draw w/ two cards to come, and three people call your bet:
For 100 bets, you win $125 (100*.315*4) and you lose $59.50. Your EV is $66.50/100, or .665.

Here's a hand from Two Dimes:

http://twodimes.net/h/?z=376815
pokenum -h th 8h - ad kh -- 9h jd kd
Holdem Hi: 990 enumerated boards containing Kd Jd 9h
cards win %win lose %lose tie %tie EV
Th 8h 331 33.43 659 66.57 0 0.00 0.334
Ad Kh 659 66.57 331 33.43 0 0.00 0.666

Wouldn't raising AdKh on the river be +EV?

I don't see why the term needs to be restricted to certain situations?

[daryn]

this is so wrong, i am now dumber for having read it.