Mastering Value Betting Urgency

Urgency is lower at shorter stack depths.

The equity of the hand before your opponent has reacted to your bet.

At least 55%-60% equity when called.

Wet turns

When your hand is strong enough to pick a certain bet size and urgency is not high

To deny equity to live hands your opponent has to fold

The amount of equity you can deny to hands that beat you

Finishing Equity = Your hand’s equity after your opponent has called your bet Investment Ceiling = The average maximum amount your hand wants to invest by the end of the hand Urgency = Relates to the importance of value betting now, based on the time remaining and the investment ceiling Landing Equity = The equity of your hand before your opponent has reacted to your bet

Stronger value betting hands = Increase urgency as they want to invest more money by the end of the hand Shorter stack depths = Decrease urgency as there is less money to be invested by the end of the hand Higher hand equity = Increases urgency Bigger stack depth = Increases urgency

To value bet the turn = At least 50% equity after being called To value bet the river = At least 55%-60% equity after being called To deny equity to weaker hands that fold = Less equity required when called to value bet the turn High landing equity = Leads to higher finishing equity

Value Bet = A bet made when your hand is strong enough to pick a certain bet size and urgency is high Optional Value Bet = A bet made when your hand is strong enough to pick a certain bet size but urgency is not high Non-Value Bet = A situation when your hand is not strong enough to pick any bet size or you are not building a betting range using a sizing small enough to value bet your hand Denial = Denying equity to live hands your opponent has to fold, useful when the fold equity you get by betting is largely beneficial

Bet Sizing = The bigger you bet, the more your opponent will contract his range and the bigger the gap between your landing equity and finishing equity will be Required Landing Equity = Roughly how much landing equity we’d need for each bet size for our hand to be able to value bet for that size Bet for Protection Fallacy = Denying equity to hands that are already losing only wins you a little bit of the pot against those hands. When you risk that bet to make those hands fold, you lose extra money vs. hands that beat you Denial as a Swing Factor = Denial can swing a thin value hand which would prefer to check in a way ahead/way behind situation, to a bet on a wetter texture. Denial adds equity to hands which can give it enough equity to bet for value

Wet turn spots = We can value bet with lower landing equity than on dry turns or rivers where we are either way ahead or way behind In Position (IP) = We need a little more equity to value bet as we risk re-opening the action and therefore checking is a slightly more viable alternative Out of Position (OOP) = We need a little less equity to value bet because check is a slightly less viable alternative since we are not closing the action for that street by checking Strong hand and high urgency = Must Value Bet

Equity = The expected value of your hand Bet Sizing = The amount you bet relative to the pot Value Bet = A bet made with the intention of getting paid off by a worse hand Denial = A strategy of making a bet to prevent your opponent from realizing their equity

Value Betting Urgency = How important it is to value bet Now, dependent on the amount of time remaining in a hand Landing Equity = The equity of your hand before your opponent has reacted to your bet Finishing Equity = Your hand’s equity after your opponent has called your bet Investment Ceiling = The average amount your hand aims to reach by the end of the hand

The opponent is not raising frequently = Increases the urgency to build the pot Stronger value betting hands = Need to start taking larger investments earlier Shorter stack depths = Lowers the urgency as there is less money to be invested Higher hand equity = Increases the urgency

Value bet the turn = At least 50% equity after getting called Value bet the river = At least 55%-60% equity after getting called High landing equity = Increases the finishing equity Weaker value betting hands = Can delay their betting as they don’t need to invest so much

You Must Value Bet = Your hand is strong enough to pick a certain bet size and urgency is high It’s Optional to Value Bet = Your hand is strong enough to pick a certain bet size and urgency is not high You Cannot Value Bet = Your hand is not strong enough to pick any bet size or you are not building a betting range using a sizing small enough to value bet your hand

Denial = Denying equity to live hands your opponent has to fold is a useful bonus but not a sufficient reason for betting Bet for Protection Fallacy = Denying equity to hands that are already losing only wins you a little bit of the pot against those hands Denial as a Swing Factor = Denial can swing a thin value hand which would prefer to check in a way ahead/way behind situation, to a bet on a wetter texture

Landing Equity = We need to know roughly how much landing equity we’d need for each bet size for our hand to be able to value bet for that size Bet Sizing Impact on Equity = The bigger you bet, the more your opponent will contract his range and the bigger the gap between your landing equity and finishing equity will be Value Bet on Wet Turn Spots = On wet turn spots where our hand is ahead more often than our equity suggests, we can value bet with lower landing equity

In Position (IP) = When IP we need a little more equity to value bet as we risk re-opening the action Out of Position (OOP) = When OOP we need a little less equity to value bet because check is a slightly less viable alternative since we are not closing the action for that street by checking