Betting Pace
2. Betting Pace
The betting pace is often more significant than the betting stakes in determining the size of the game. The good player knows the betting pace of both the game and of each individual hand. The betting pace of the game (game pace) is determined by comparing the betting done on various hands to the betting normally done on these hands. The pace may differ markedly in different poker games. In a fast-paced game, for example, two pair after the draw may be worth two raises. In a slow-paced game, those same two pair may be worth not even a single bet.
The betting pace of each hand (hand pace) is determined by comparing the extent of betting, calling, raising, and bluffing to the size of the pot. Often the pace is too slow during certain phases of a hand and too fast during other phases. The good player controls his offensive and defensive game by altering his betting pace at various phases of a poker hand. The ratios shown in Table 6 reflect the betting pace during the various phases of a poker hand.
Few hands are played at the optimum betting pace. And if, for example, the betting pace is relatively slow, the optimum pace will be somewhat faster. A person increases his investment and edge odds by playing closer to the optimum pace.
In the Monday night game, John realizes that the betting in seven-card stud moves at a fast pace during the early rounds, but slows considerably in the late rounds of big bets. He takes advantage of that imbalance by laying back during the early rounds as players get drawn in and disclose their betting tendencies. Then in the later rounds, he quickens the pace by betting aggressively. But while playing closer to the optimum pace himself, John is careful not to correct the imbalanced pace of other players.
The following ratios illustrate how John Finn estimates and influences the hand pace of the Monday night, seven-card stud game.
The techniques for applying the Advanced Concepts of Poker are described in Part Two of this course.