Check-raising
A check-raise is when you check with the intention of raising on the same betting
round.
Check-raising is sometimes a better strategy than betting out or checking
and calling for several reasons:
- To drive out opponents. Sometimes betting out will not drive out many
opponents since they only have to call one bet. If you are acting early,one
option is to check hoping that a late position player bets. This will allow you
to raise and force the remaining opponents to call two bets or fold.
-
For example, you hold A ♣ 8 ♣ in the big blind and call a raise by the button.
Five players see the flop of 8 ♦ 5 ♥ 3 ♠. If you bet out, most of your opponents
will call with their overcards for only one bet. If you check and the preflop
raiser bets, your check-raise forces the remaining opponents to either call
two small bets or fold. By check-raising and driving out the remaining
opponents, you increase your odds of winning the hand since only one
opponent is drawing to overcards rather than three or four. Of course if your
opponent holds a pair higher than your 8's, a.k.a, an overpair, you are the
player who is drawing, but Hold'em is a game that requires you to take risks
to increase your chances of winning the hand.
-
To give your opponents a chance to make a mistake by calling. As discussed
in the raising section, your opponents are often correct paying one small bet
to their draws, but are making a mistake by calling two small bets if they are
not getting sufficient pot odds.
-
To induce a bet by an opponent with a weak hand. Most preflop raisers will
come out betting on the flop. A check-raise uses their aggression to your
advantage. Betting out is an acceptable strategy also, but check-raising
may gain that extra bet on the flop that you wouldn't gain otherwise.
-
To put more money in the pot with the best hand. Again, this is simply the
basic goal of getting more money into the pot when you feel you have
the best chance of winning the pot.
-
To increase your pot odds on your good drawing hands. Check-raising is
sometimes correct with good drawing hands. If an opponent to your left bets
and several other opponents call, you can raise your good draws like flushes
and open-ended straights. Since these draws are about 2 to 1 against
improving by the river, you earn money on every bet when there are at
least three opponents in the hand.
-
To try and win the pot on a semi-bluff. Sometimes check-raising is used as
an effective semi-bluff. These are especially effective when you plan on
calling with a good draw in any case. By check-raising, you might win the pot
immediately. Let's look at an example. You raise in middle position with Q ♦
J ♦ and get called by the button and big blind. The flop is T ♦
6 ♥ 3 ♠. You bet
out and get raised by the button and the big blind folds. You decide to call
with your overcards and backdoor flush and straight draw for backdoor draw
is one that requires both the turn and river card to improve your hand).
The turn is the K ♥. Check-raising might be a good strategy against a strong
opponent who would fold a pair of tens or other middle pair. If he calls, you
still have a decent chance of winning the pot by hit-ting your straight or even
the queen or jack.
In order for a check-raise to be successful, you need to be fairly confident the one
of your opponents will bet. Giving a free card when you have the best hand can be
disastrous. When you are not too sure that an opponent will bet, tend to bet out
hands that are vulnerable to free cards and check-raise hands that are less
vulnerable. For example, giving a free card with a pair of teas or jacks is much more
risky than if you hold a high pair such as aces or kings.
Finally, let's discuss check-raising in terms of advanced play. What would happen if
you never check-raised? If you always bet your strong hands and checked your
weak hands, your observant opponents would have a great read on your play. They
could simply fold if you bet and bet if you check.
If you check-raise a lot, your opponents will also be less inclined to bet behind you
in fear that you might check-raise. This serves as two benefits. First,when
everyone checks, you now have a good opportunity of winning the pot by bet-ting
out on the next card. They will know that you were possibly planning on
check-raising a good hand on the previous betting round. Second, your opponents will be
more reluctant to steal the pot since they are worried about you check-raising, and
the free card could help you improve to the best hand.
Of course, you shouldn't always check-raise. The key to playing at an advanced
level is to mix up your plays so that your opponents have a hard time reading your hands.
NEXT...Raising on the Internet
