Updated on May 21, 2025
When you listen to people talking poker, it can sound like they’re speaking another language. You might need a poker dictionary to decipher phrases like “barrel poker” and barrelling poker”.
Sentences like "I 3-bet the cutoff light," "He chased me with the naked Ace of hearts," or "I double-barrelled the turn" sound crazy in common speak but are normal in poker.
This article will focus on barrel poker/ barrelling poker — what it means to barrel in poker, and how to properly use the move strategically to your advantage.
Every winning poker player knows how to barrel effectively. At the highest stakes, it’s a routine part of the game—it’s not optional! You must be comfortable and able to recognise this technique.
Barrel Poker & Barrelling Poker Explanation
Poker uses terms borrowed from warfare. "Barrel poker" and "barrelling poker" are straight from the battlefield.
A shotgun can be double-barrelled (or even triple-barrelled). Similarly, making bets can be referred to as "firing" or "firing bullets".
An inside straight-draw is typically referred to as a "gutshot." The first position at a poker table is described as "under the gun."
Example in a sentence: “Our opponent called our bet on the flop nervously, so I decided to double-barrel the turn.”
This phrasing means you bet both the flop and the turn.
You “double-barrelled” — betting on the flop and turn when you didn’t have a value hand.
Employing a barrel poker strategy means you are prepared to make bets without a good hand while applying pressure on your opponent. Someone who enjoys barrelling likes to bluff in poker and frequently tries to force their opponents to fold.
Just to make this clear: barrelling in poker is a form of bluffing.
Betting with a “made” hand — such as a pair, two pair, straight, flush, or full house — is not a barrel. That’s a value bet instead.
When Should You Try to Barrel in Poker?
Now you know that a barrel poker move means trying to bet so your opponent folds.
- If you bet twice, for example, that would be a double barrel.
- Did you bet flop, turn, and river as a bluff? That’s a triple-barrel.
So, when is a good barrel poker opportunity?
You don’t want to bluff with absolutely nothing. A lot of times, you will be betting into the abyss. Especially when learning how to play poker, don’t bluff randomly, hoping to muscle your opponent into a fold.
The best time for barrelling poker is as a semi-bluff.
You might be bluffing now, but your hand has the chance to improve.
A good example of this scenario would be a flush draw:
Let’s say you have K♣️Q♣️.
Flop: J♦️3♣️2♣️
This spot would be decent to fire the first bullet — place your first bet — as the first barrel. You don’t have anything at this moment, but your hand has the potential to improve.
Turn: J♦️3♣️2♣️ 9♦️
This situation could be another prime opportunity for some barrel poker. Even though your hand did not directly improve on the turn card, you can now hit a straight if the river card is a ten. Even GTO poker says, fire again!
River: J♦️3♣️2♣️ 9♦️A♥️
Once more, your hand did not improve. However, if you think the Ace will scare your opponent, you should empty the clip and fire that bet… the triple-barrel!
| Note: Pay attention to live reads or any history you have with your opponent. If you think they like to be a hero and call any bet, don’t bluff. Also, don’t go for it if you think they hit the Ace. (Perhaps they have a hand like Ace-Jack and love that river card!) The key to a smart barrel poker strategy is knowing when to use it… and when not. |
Don’t barrel mindlessly.
Since barrelling in poker is a form of bluffing, you must consider poker hand probabilities and choose your opponents wisely.
Some people never fold to any bets… ever.
But if you have someone that you think you can intimidate, then barrelling poker can be a profitable play.
See Also
Backdoor, Draw, Gutshot, Position, Hand-Rankings, Flop, Turn, River
