POKER HAND #57

SKLANSKY ON THE CHECK-RAISE: The most solid advice in the business.

Check-raising is the play of checking your hand with the intention of raising on the same round after an opponent bets. Notice that checkraising and slowplaying are two ways of playing a strong hand weakly to trap your opponents. However, they are not the same thing. In addition, the checkraise should often be used to exclude opponents from competing for the pot. Sometimes, in limit hold 'em, this is the most desirable characteristic of check-raising.

For check-raising to be correct, you usually should:

1. Think you have the best hand (though not a slow-playing hand).
2. Be quite sure that someone will bet behind you if you check.

A situation where check-raising probably would be correct is when you flop top two pair, there are many players on the flop, and you are in an early position. This is especially true if you think the bet will come from a late position player. The ction before the flop will frequently indicate where the bet is likely to come from.

Two interesting things may happen if you check a lot of good hands on the flop. First, some of your opponents may become afraid to bet. That is, they may be more inclined to give you a free card, and this free card may win the pot for you. Second, even if a blank hits on the turn, you now may be able to steal the pot. Your opponents are not going to suspect a bluff merely because you didn't bet on the flop, as they know you might have been trying for a check-raise. In fact, some of your opponents might feel smug when you bet, since they "escaped your trap." When you are bluffing in this situation, never show your hand.