Poker News

Tom ‘Time’ Leonard

In the last installment of Improving Performance we discussed raising. I think we agreed that, in addition to being your most valuable weapon in poker, raising is fun. Well what could be more fun than raising? Checkraising! Check-raising is the act of checking your hand and expecting an opponent to bet so that you can then raise. Sand bagging is what the old time home game players who abhor this dastardly act would call it. Check-raising can also be considered a weapon. Just don’t overuse it. Many players fall in love with the check-raise and use it constantly, to the point where their checks become feared more than their raises. As in all of poker, if you become too predictable your more observant opponents will be able to take advantage of this frailty. You need to be the unpredictable player who is charting your opponents ‘ tendencies to your advantage.

So, check-raising is a weapon that shouldn’t be overused and is fun. What else do we need to know? You need to be fairly certain that your check will result in an opponent betting. I’m sure we have all intended to check-raise only to have everyone check around the table after we “set the trap” We then inwardly groan and lament a missed bet. A missed bet and more importantly allowing everyone to get a free card. Just what you didn’t want to have happen. Then to really grind your gears, the free card puts an opponent out in front of you when he would have folded if you had bet. Missed check raises are not a good thing. So, consider what you are attempting to accomplish with your planned check raise, along with the possible downsides if it doesn’t work as you contemplate it in the first place. Many times straight forward play is a better option.

How do we make sure that someone will bet after we check? The pre-flop action will give you an indication as will your position. Obviously, checking in early position with several players behind you enhances the odds that one of your opponents will fire in a bet. Also, a pre-flop bettor or raiser will many times bet again on the flop even if he does not improve. He showed pre-flop strength and feels compelled to continue taking the lead in the hopes of winning the pot right there. An excellent use of the check raise is when you can isolate a player you feel does not have much of a hand and therefore significantly enhance your odds of winning the pot by getting heads up. This might work if you’re in early position and check to then have the remaining opponents check around to the player on your right who you believe is trying to purchase the pot by betting. Since no one bet before him, your raise should thin the field dramatically, many times allowing you to get heads up if not win the pot right there with the original bettor folding.

Another consideration you should make before check raising is whether your hand can stand three bets. If you bet, you may be raised. If you check, an opponent bets, and you then raise……you’ve opened up the betting again. Well, if you’ve got the goods then that’s great……go ahead and make it four bets! However, if you were just making a move without much of a hand and happen to run into an opponent who has a real hand then your strategy has backfired. Our goal for this session is not to become so enamored with check raising that we don’t think through if it is in fact the best play to make in the particular situation we’re facing. Check raises that turn into three or four bets when you have the second or third best hand don’t add positives to your expectation.

Simply put, make sure to think before you act. See you next “TIME”.

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