The 'Check Raise' in Poker

Check raise in poker terms, is a move whereby a player checks, indicating weakness, and induces a bet from an opponent. When the opponent raises (makes a bet), the checker then raises the bet, a move known as check raise.

In poker, when a player checks, this shows weakness, and often when a player has a big hand, and they are scared that a bet will scare off opponents, they check in the hope that an opponent will make a bet. Quite often players will try to steal a pot, especially when there is a substantial amount in the pot, or every other player has shown weakness.

The check raise is a trapping move and when used correctly can be very effective. To put this move into context, here is an example.

You are in a Hold'em tournament and the blinds are now at $5,000 - $10,000. You are third to act and you are dealt two Aces (aka Rockets, American Airlines, bullets). With $15,000 in the pot before you start there is enough bait in there for someone to take a stab at the pot. Over the past half hour you have taken note that the the table seems to be folding when there is an aggressive raise so you decide to raise. You raise and everyone else folds and you take down the pot.

Did you maximize your return? In playing it a little safer, you may well have earned less than you could have done playing them differently. Now let's play the same hand again.

Blinds are $5,000 - $10,000. You are third to act and you are dealt two Aces. Action gets to you. You check. The next 2 players fold and then you get a bet from player 7. Player 7 bets $20,000. Now this could be an attempt to pick up the blinds, especially as there are only a few players left to play (so less risk of a big hand). Play folds round to you. You re-raise to $40,000. Now player 7 will either call, go all in or fold. Either way, you are in better shape as, assuming you win the hand, you have at least $20,000 more than you would have done making the initial raise. Your best case is that player 7 puts you all in and you call. Heads up for all the chips with Bullets, is not a bad position to be in, after all, all you can do is get your money in with the best hand.

You are not guaranteed to get a raise in late position, but when the rewards are there, in this case $15,000 (plus antes), you will very often find a player taking a stab at the pot. This move of checking initially to induce a bluff, then re-raising the bet is known in the poker world as the check raise.

The only risk in slow playing is that 3 or 4 players come into the pot with a check and you get out drawn. This is the risk that you take.