Betting the Turn in Poker

Playing after the turn is an area of Hold ‘em that needs to be first understood and then properly executed.  There’s more to post-turn play than just betting when you have the lead.  To be a winning player, one needs to know when a turn bluff opportunity is in front of them.  This is the point in the hand when a skilled player can determine what type of hand an opponent is likely to be holding, and it is also where opponents will make assumptions about your hand.  I’ll try to outline the process of contemplating the situation and acting accordingly.

Most of your decisions on how and when to bet the turn will be determined by the cards on the board and the opponents you’re in the hand with.  In limit Hold ‘em, if an opponent raises pre-flop, then checks and calls a flop bet with low cards on the board, a turn bet will tell you what they are likely holding.  If they raise your turn bet, you know they most likely have a big pair, or perhaps trips, and they have just waited to raise the bigger turn bet instead of the flop.  If they have a big ace or two big cards they will usually fold to a bet on the turn, and you will pick up the pot with anything in your hand.

Let’s say that you’re in a hand with no pre-flop raises with the big blind and the flop has come with small cards in it.  You bet out and get a call.  Knowing the blind player is capable of having any two cards, the small flop is likely to have hit them if they called your flop bet.  So let’s say the turn card is a big card, preferably a king or an ace.  Betting out this turn will often prove profitable because the blind player will assume that you are on big cards, and think their lower pair is no longer any good.

In a no-limit Hold ‘em game, the turn becomes a place where the hand is often decided.  Betting the turn in no limit is not something one should do on a whim.

The most common mistake players make on the turn is not to bet their good hands big enough.  Allowing players to remain in the hand because you don’t want to top them off about your good cards is not a great idea.  Win pots when you can, and betting with a lead is always the way to go, unless you have the absolute nuts.  If you make a big bet on the turn and get called or raised, then you know you need to watch out for possible draw cards hitting the river.

The turn is also when you show opponents that you’re serious about your hand.  Many players will take a stab at a pot after flop, but few will bluff twice at a pot on the turn.  If you think you’re opponent is on the draw, you will win pots by continuing to bet when no draw cards come.

It doesn’t matter if it’s limit or no limit Hold ‘em, the turn is a crucial point in most hands.  Learning what each flop means will be the most important part of your decision on how to play the rest of the hand.  This is when you should have some type of read on your opponents.  When in doubt, bet anyway and see what effect it has on your opponents.  You will be surprised how many free pots you will begin to pick up.