Counting the pot

[mosta]

[ QUOTE ]
And of course you realize that the pot sized raise can be quickly calculated as (3 Times the last bet) + what was in the pot prior to the last bet (if you have money in towwarsd the current bet -- lets say you bet then got raised and now you want to reraise - do not count your initial bet as part of the pot size that gets factored in as part of the 3 X the last bet)

[/ QUOTE ]

This is right, but can be elaborated a bit. A pot sized raise is 3+n times the last bet where n is the number of callers of the bet (and you can count the pot itself, from previous rounds, as a caller if the original bet is the pot). The exact amount is that (3+n times bet, plus any other smaller bets--but don't count anything in front of you if you have already put money in that same round.)

eg, on the flop the pot from pf is $100.

check, you bet $100. call. next guy makes it $300, then two callers, to you. you want to pot-size raise, with a bet and two callers of $300.

(3+2) * $300 + $100 + $100 = $1,700.
(bet and two callers) + the pot + the caller (but not counting your money from this round).

[Rottersod]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
And of course you realize that the pot sized raise can be quickly calculated as (3 Times the last bet) + what was in the pot prior to the last bet (if you have money in towwarsd the current bet -- lets say you bet then got raised and now you want to reraise - do not count your initial bet as part of the pot size that gets factored in as part of the 3 X the last bet)

[/ QUOTE ]

This is right, but can be elaborated a bit. A pot sized raise is 3+n times the last bet where n is the number of callers of the bet (and you can count the pot itself, from previous rounds, as a caller if the original bet is the pot). The exact amount is that (3+n times bet, plus any other smaller bets--but don't count anything in front of you if you have already put money in that same round.)

eg, on the flop the pot from pf is $100.

check, you bet $100. call. next guy makes it $300, then two callers, to you. you want to pot-size raise, with a bet and two callers of $300.

(3+2) * $300 + $100 + $100 = $1,700.
(bet and two callers) + the pot + the caller (but not counting your money from this round).

[/ QUOTE ]

I came up with a different pot size bet:

PF pot: $100
Me: $100
Seat+1: $100
Raise: $300 ($200 raise)
Call1: $300
Call2: $300
Total: $1200
Pot Size Raise = my call plus pot = $200 + $1200 = $1400
Seat + 1 still to act after me.

[psandman]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
And of course you realize that the pot sized raise can be quickly calculated as (3 Times the last bet) + what was in the pot prior to the last bet (if you have money in towwarsd the current bet -- lets say you bet then got raised and now you want to reraise - do not count your initial bet as part of the pot size that gets factored in as part of the 3 X the last bet)

[/ QUOTE ]

This is right, but can be elaborated a bit. A pot sized raise is 3+n times the last bet where n is the number of callers of the bet (and you can count the pot itself, from previous rounds, as a caller if the original bet is the pot). The exact amount is that (3+n times bet, plus any other smaller bets--but don't count anything in front of you if you have already put money in that same round.)

eg, on the flop the pot from pf is $100.

check, you bet $100. call. next guy makes it $300, then two callers, to you. you want to pot-size raise, with a bet and two callers of $300.

(3+2) * $300 + $100 + $100 = $1,700.
(bet and two callers) + the pot + the caller (but not counting your money from this round).

[/ QUOTE ]

I came up with a different pot size bet:

PF pot: $100
Me: $100
Seat+1: $100
Raise: $300 ($200 raise)
Call1: $300
Call2: $300
Total: $1200
Pot Size Raise = my call plus pot = $200 + $1200 = $1400
Seat + 1 still to act after me.

[/ QUOTE ]

You are both right. The raise is $1400 as you say, but the amount is $1700 (the previous bet of $300 + the $1400 raise) as the previous poster said.

[bav]

When you raise the size of the pot, first you put in the call, then tally up what's in the pot including your call, and add that much more.

[runout_mick]

[ QUOTE ]
I guess its just natural for a good dealer to have a handle on the pot size.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is true, but in a no-limit game, a good dealer should also know that he is not allowed to announce the pot size.

[Flopz]

Just keep track of what you've put in and multiply it by the number of people that are still in the hand. It won't always be an exact count, but it will be close enough to help you make a decision

[ChrisRock]

Approximations of the pot were not really my goal. I always assumed that the pros knew EXACTLY how much was in the pot, but from what I'm reading, almost everyone makes their calculations based on estimations. If this is the case, then I supposed I shouldn't worry so much about it in my endeavor to become a better player. If so, what about PL? Am I to assume that only the dealer is keeping track of the exact figure and that the players are only approximating the pot and depending on the dealer when they call pot? I would think that the better PL players on top of the situation.

[psandman]

[ QUOTE ]
Approximations of the pot were not really my goal. I always assumed that the pros knew EXACTLY how much was in the pot, but from what I'm reading, almost everyone makes their calculations based on estimations. If this is the case, then I supposed I shouldn't worry so much about it in my endeavor to become a better player. If so, what about PL? Am I to assume that only the dealer is keeping track of the exact figure and that the players are only approximating the pot and depending on the dealer when they call pot? I would think that the better PL players on top of the situation.

[/ QUOTE ]

Some players do in fact keep track of the pot.ut i was very surprised when i dealt Pot-Limit at the WSOp this past year by the number of pros who did not know what the pot iszed bet was.

[johnnyrocket]

just guesstimate, think of preflop, flop, turn bets and just add them up then multiply by players in the pot, this wont be correct but will give you a decent idea in a short period of time, of course adjust a little bit with the folds and such.

[Wongboy]

[ QUOTE ]
Approximations of the pot were not really my goal. I always assumed that the pros knew EXACTLY how much was in the pot, but from what I'm reading, almost everyone makes their calculations based on estimations. If this is the case, then I supposed I shouldn't worry so much about it in my endeavor to become a better player. If so, what about PL? Am I to assume that only the dealer is keeping track of the exact figure and that the players are only approximating the pot and depending on the dealer when they call pot? I would think that the better PL players on top of the situation.

[/ QUOTE ]

You asked for short cuts, which generally means that you are going to end up with an estimate. I usually know exactly how many bets are in the pot for limit. For NL, I will sometimes not know the exact amount if the pot is unusually large, but if thats the case, then most decisions do not require an exact pot size. Knowing that I am getting "just over 2:1 pot odds" is close enough to "2.13:1 pot odds" for most decisions.

I am actually surprised by the frequency with which I will intend to bet about the size of thee pot, grab some chips that feel about right and while waiting for the villian to act I will count the pot and see that my bet is exactly the size of the pot. I'm talking about pot sizes in the $30-$50 range here.