Strategy: Poker (Cont.)

 · Check-Raise (Check)

You are holding a strong hand. Your goal here is to check, wait for somebody else to open the betting round, see that bet, and then make an additional one of your own. You are initially suggesting a hand of no strength looking to stay in for free. The player who makes the bet only does so, not thinking there was another strong hand at the table.

You also acquire information this way. Since there was no bet to you, nobody has suggested anything of their hands yet. In also declining to start the action, you put the onus on somebody else to make a move. This however is where check-raising can backfire. If nobody bets after you, then you have just lost out on a round of bets and have allowed everybody to stay in the game for free, possibly getting the free cards that they need to beat your hand.

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