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Bet Sizing

Lesson 13 · Small vs big bets and MDF · 24 practice questions

Small bets & MDF

A 1/3-pot bet needs ~25% MDF — you must defend wide with bluff-catchers and draws. Folding too much makes small bets auto-profitable.

Polarized big bets

Pot-sized or larger bets are polarized (nuts + bluffs). Medium hands should fold; only strong bluff-catchers and the top of your range continue.

Sizing tells a story

Match bet size to your range story: small = merged/capped, big = polarized. When facing a bet, ask what size implies about villain's range.

Key takeaways

• MDF = 1 − bet/(pot+bet) — smaller bets demand wider defense.
• Big bets are polarized; fold medium-strength hands.
• Use sizing to communicate range strength and exploit over-folding.

Sample drill from this lesson

River, villain bets 1/3 pot into 40. You hold Q♣T♦ — second pair, no draw. Best action?

Board: Q♠ J♦ 4♣ 2♥ A♥
Your hand: Q♣ 10♦

Best action: Call

Why: ✓ You hold one pair as a bluff-catcher; vs a polarized bet, MDF = 1−13/53 = 75%, and you only need ~20% to call. Calling is right.

FAQ

How does bet sizing affect MDF?

Bigger bets lower the defender’s MDF and demand more equity to call, but they also require more bluffs to stay balanced. Small bets let you bet a wider range at high frequency.

When should you use a small bet vs a big bet?

Use small bets to deny equity cheaply and bet a wide range on boards you own; use big bets and overbets with a polarized range when you hold a nut advantage.

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