Betting Strategy,
Beginner Strategies
August 20 2008
Checking is one of the weakest moves you can make when playing poker because it is a passive move. Despite this, many beginner poker players check far too often.
There are only three reasons for a player to check.
1. They have nothing in their hand
2. They’re looking for information
3. They want to trap their opponent
Reason No. 1 is by far the most common among beginners. If your first thought whenever you miss the flop is to check, then you’re not being aggressive. By checking repeatedly every time you miss the flop you’re falling into a pattern that is very easy for other players to read. It’s especially detrimental to your play because you’ll miss the flop more often than you will hit it.
Reason No. 2, to gather information, is used to try and figure out what your opponent might be holding. You’re using checking as a tool to try to gauge the strength of your opponent’s hand. You should expect a bet to follow your check here, and hopefully that bet will help you figure out whether or not you should continue in the hand or let it go.
Reason No. 3, trapping, is all about check-raising and slow-playing. You’re basically feigning weakness with a strong hand while hoping your opponent bets big so you can raise him. It can be a great strategy when used at the right time, but it can also backfire if your opponent doesn’t bet and you give away a free card. Only attempt a check-raise when you are sure that your opponent will make a bet and that your hand is good enough to hold up when they don’t bet and take a free card.
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