There are many online games that you can play for fun, ranging from card games to sports betting. One of the most popular games is Microstakes Poker (MSP). While the rules of MSP are simple, the game’s betting scheme is anything but. We’re going to explore exactly what is going on inside this popular game, and why 3 betting makes sense.
The Basics of MSP
If you’ve never played Microstakes Poker, here are the basics you need to know. The game is played with real money and there are no rules against winning. You can use either your mobile phone or computer to play.
There are 4 hands per round – pre-flop, flop, turn and river. The flop and turn are very similar to standard poker, but with fewer cards. The goal is to get a combination of cards that matches a specific criteria – typically four of a kind or a straight. The last card of each round is the river card and it can be used to determine the winner of the round.
Betting is very high in MSP – often more than 1 credit or 1% of the total amount of money you have at the time. For example, a $500 game would mean a $2 bet per round. The game also has a large selection of bet types, including:
- American: bet on whether the next card will be an ace or a face card (e.g. 2 of Spades, 7 of Hearts, 10 of Diamonds)
- Australian: bet on whether the next two cards are going to be of the same suit (e.g. 2 of diamonds, 2 of clubs, 2 of spades)
- All-in: put all your money on the table and make an end-bet – usually 50-150% of what you’ve got left (e.g. if you’re $400, $200 would be the minimum all-in bet)
- Betting lines: form lines of betting along the sides of the table and establish a betting limit (e.g. 4 betting lines for $5000 tournament game)
- Edge betting: make small bets before and after the big one (e.g. $500 pre-flop, $1000 post-flop)
- Pot-limit: put a limit on the amount of money you’re willing to risk per hand (e.g. $10-$25 per hand, $25-$50 per round)
- Reverse betting: put your money on the opposite side of the bet (e.g. if you bet $100 on the third street, you’d put your $100 on the backside)
- Side betting: put your money on the side of the betting line you think will win (e.g. if you think the flop will be hearts, you’d put your money on the side of hearts)
- Straddle: put your money on both sides of the bet (e.g. if you think the flop will be two spades, you’d put your $100 on the side of spades and the other $100 on the side of diamonds)
Making Sense of The 3-Bet
If you’re new to Microstakes Poker, it can be difficult to know why 3 betting makes so much sense. The game’s high betting means there’s a lot of money on the line and a lot of opportunity to win. But, if you’re wondering why you should bother with the 3-bet, here’s why.
As stated above, the goal is to get four of a kind or a straight. It’s usually best to use an all-in bet or straddle to achieve this goal. If you have four of a kind, you’ll want to make an all-in or straddle bet, trying to get as much money as you can. You’ll also want to make sure your opponent knows you have four of a kind, as he or she can call you down for all your chips if you’re not aware of it.
But what if you don’t have an all-in or straddle bet? You can still make some sense out of the 3-bet by using it wisely. The key is to bet according to the strength of your hand. For example, if you’re holding a pair of aces and you’re at the table with two other players, it’s probably best to bet smaller on the flop and turn (2.5% to 5.0%) than you would with a pair of kings (10% to 15%).
This is because, realistically, you know your pair of aces are going to be worth more than what the other two players have combined. So, even if you end up losing the hand, at least you’ll still be ahead. You can also use this strategy against aggressive players who raise the bet each time they see a three-card hand. In this case, it would be best to fold for the most part, as you have the best hand and can beat them with ease.
Final Considerations
While 3 betting in Microstakes Poker doesn’t make much sense in most cases, it’s still a popular betting scheme and a matter of pride for some players. If you’re looking for a new game, feel free to give it a try. Just be aware of how things work and why they work that way. And if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments below.