Formula for Reraising

[jcm4ccc]

I worked this formula out after reraising too small in an MTT last night, which I believe ended up costing me the tournament. Anyway, here is the formula:

Formula: Pot + (2 * original raise)

This gives the villian 2:1 odds for calling your reraise. These are the identical odds that you give the villian when you make a pot-sized bet on the flop (Pot is 600. You make a bet of 600. Villian has to call 600 to win 1200).

So, as an example, I'll use what happened to me last night. Blinds 150/300. Villian makes a bet of 900.

The variables are:
Size of Pot: 1350 (150 + 300 + 900)
Size of Original Raise: 900

Formula: 1350 + 2*900 = 3150.

I should have raised it to 3150. That would have made the pot 4500 chips. The villian would be facing a call of 2250 chips. Therefore, the villian would be getting 2:1 odds on his call.

This formula can work on the flop, river, or turn. For example, let's say that there is 5000 chips in the pot after the preflop action. The villian bets 3000 chips.

the variables are:
Size of pot : 8000 chips (5000 + 3000)
Formula: 8000 + 2 * 3000 = 14000

So you raise it to 14000. the villian needs to call 11000 to win a pot of 22000.

[McMelchior]

Yeah, that's how to calculate a pot-size re-raise. You call the last bet/raise, and then you raise the (new) size of the pot.

If you play pot limit you'll know that that is the maximum allowed raise, and that gives the last bettor/raisor ahead of you exactly 2:1 pot odds.

But when applying this formula there are a host of other parameters to factor in.

Stack size.

Perceived strengh of your hand relative to perceived strengh of other already or potentially involved players hands.

Do you want a call, a fold or do you want to induce yet a re-raise?

Visual psychology: Online (at Stars at least) a raise is represented by one stack of chips for the call and one for the (additional) raise. If you make your raise a whole number of some denomination of chips (like in your t1,350 pot example by raising to t2,900 instead of t3,150) you create a much more intimidating visual presentation of your raise than if you put out a mixed stack of chips with a few t25 chips on top.

Raising the right amount is an art, that can't be pinned down to one single formula.

[jcm4ccc]

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah, that's how to calculate a pot-size re-raise. You call the last bet/raise, and then you raise the (new) size of the pot.

[/ QUOTE ] so it's already known. I didn't know that. should have realized that someone would work out something as simple as this.

[ QUOTE ]
Raising the right amount is an art, that can't be pinned down to one single formula.

[/ QUOTE ] of course. but it's good to know what a normal-sized bet should be, when deviating from that. up to now, I've been doing it by just eyeballing it, which is not the way to go.

[Moose747]

Jcm is to think in terms of the pot odds being offered to opponents. Personally I don't like betting the pot (giving 2-1 odds on a raise) as I think it makes it too easy for opponent to play correctly--fold bad hands and call with good ones. I usually raise a little less and try to give somewhere around 2.5-1 odds.

[Foucault]

I don't see the value of such a formula. It really depends on what you are trying to accomplish with your re-raise, on your read of Villain, on your history with Villain, on stack sizes, etc. A quick sampling of things I might be trying to accomplish with any given re-raise:

1) Re-steal. I'm looking to take it down pre-flop first and foremost, but depending on stack sizes, I am also thinking about whether I can get away if Villain/anyone else comes back over the top and whether effective stack sizes will allow Villain to fold some flops if he flat calls.

2) Pot commit myself without revealing my hand. Sometimes I will re-raise a smaller amount than all-in, even though I am clearly committed to getting my whole stack in at some point, with a hand like AK just because I think it gives me slightly better fold equity against small pairs that don't expect an overbet push from AA/KK. The immediate odds I am offering Villain aren't all that relevant here because in actuality he will be committed to calling for the rest of my stack eventually, and if he chooses to fold then, he is making a FTP mistake, which is fine by me.

3) To induce a mistake later. A smallish re-raise with a big pair may induce a call from a broadway hand like KQ or AQ that, while technically correct, will result in a bloated pot and prevent them from getting away from top pair.

4) To establish myself as the aggressor. A pre-flop re-raise may allow me to win the pot with a c-bet on a flop that missed both of us, where a call would allow Villain to win the same pot. Often these will be coin flip situations or even spots where I am dominated, so re-raising more will not result in Villain making a bad call, and may even be -EV for me.

It seems like you are considering only situations where you are re-raising for value, and even then a formula may not be that useful, as ideally you'd size such re-raises to match the sort you are making for the above purposes. Finally, remember that you pick up EV when Villain makes bad folds just as well as when he makes bad calls, and many players play way too tight against re-raises.