Some poker players declare that using check-raise in a friendly matched is not appropriate. Some poker sites will agree to that. But if you’re playing on a site like Full Tilt Poker, where check-raise is not banned and real money is at stake then all bets are indeed off!

The check-raise is one of the best strategies that you can use in poker. When use at the right time, this move is very advantageous for the player.

Here’s an example:

You have a pocket of Jacks as your hole card. You’re in the middle position and when its your turn you raised the bet to 6 times the big blind. If you’re lucky, one player will call and the blinds will fold.

Its time for the first three community cards to be displayed and its a 10 7 Q. This will be the right opportunity for you to use the check-raise tactic. If you’re opponent’s card is composed of an A and a K then they haven’t connected with the flop. If you checked them they will think of the following:

1.You’re card is not connected with the flop

2.Your card has a pair but is lower than the Queen

This move will let your opponent assume that you have a weaker card and they will continue to bet especially if their cards are A K.

You execute the next phase of the strategy when its your turn again. This way you will obtain the info that you’re looking for about your opponent’s hand. He will now make decisions and you’re next action should be base on how he play and act accordingly.

If he called you’re raise, most probably he has a strong hand and maybe he has the Queen. And if he re-raise then the moment to fold has come. This is due to the higher possibility that your opponent has a grand set that your pair of Jacks can’t beat.

I just hope that what I have impart will be a big help for those aspiring poker players out there. Poker is a great game which needs patience and a thing in being observant to become a success.

Share and Happy Poker!

This entry was posted on Friday, May 29th, 2009 at 1:00 am and is filed under Poker Strategy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.