Thursday, October 16, 2008

Learn to Check


As all poker players know, checking is just a very common action poker players take while playing in the game. But how to make full use of this common action as a wise strategy is really not that easy as you imagine. After all, checking is not an act of surrender or a form of capitulation.
To check could means that you’d like to defer your option to act and passing that opportunity over to opponents who act after you in the betting order. You are not relinquishing your chance to act; you are merely deferring it. If someone else takes the lead and comes out betting, you still have three options available when the action gets back to you. If someone bets, you can fold, call, or raise. All of your options are at your disposal. You haven’t surrendered a thing while you make your way ahead much more clearly.
Checking is also a good idea when you have a very big hand and the opponent to your left is aggressive. Your check should convince him to bet. Then you can check-raise and win a bigger pot. If your overly aggressive opponent’s bet attracts calls from players who act after he does, you can trap them all for two big bets in a fixed limit game, or blow them out of the pot with a big raise in a no-limit game. If your opponents realise that you will check-raise very big hands, it might allow you to check and get a free card when you’re the one who’s on a draw and in need of help to complete your hand.
Checking in early position can be vitally important when you’re playing no-limit. No-limit is a game where position is even more important than in fixed-limit poker. If you have a draw in early position and are facing two or three opponents, it’s wise to check and see what your opponents do. If they check, that’s great. A free card may allow you to complete your hand at no cost or risk to yourself.
Again, remember that practice makes perfect. Just try your best and you will pay off.:)

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