Raising in Poker

Knowing when and why to raise, re-raise, or check n raise in poker can be the difference by the end of the year whether you live in a high rise condo on Park Avenue or the life- guard shack at the beach. The point being that raising in poker can be extremely profitable or extremely expensive.

The most common reason a player will raise is when they think they have the best hand, to build up the pot. That’s all fine and dandy, but it cannot be the only time you raise. You will not win enough big pots and you become predictable. To win huge pots you need to be unpredictable. If you have a strong hand in early position, odds would state that you would raise. To play inconsistently, you would 'slowplay'. With a strong or made hand, simply call in the early betting rounds, keeping more players in the game for the later heavier betting rounds where you can pounce on them. With a weak hand, odds state that you fold. To play inconsistently, you would bluff. Raising sends a message that your hand is a strong one. If caught in the occasional bluff, you extend a message to the whole table that your playing is not consistent, and they better develop a different strategy to beat you in future hands.

Mixing up your consistent and inconsistent strategy ensures that your play is not so consistent that your betting round decisions firmly represent your true hand. Likewise, noted consistencies in the playing of your opponents can only help you in reading their hands and reacting accordingly.

Be the type of player that does more raising and folding. DO NOT BE A CALLING STATION (A player who does not aggressively raise pots, and is more inclined to call more often than what's in their best interest). When you fold, keep your eyes on the other players actions, their betting technique, their unconscious tells, and so on. Remember, Texas Holdem is all about information. Often times it is much better to find out where you are at on the flop then it is to pay someone off. For example let's say you have a hand like QT and someone raises it after you preflop. The flop comes back and it gives you top pair. The person could have you beat with AA or KK or even AQ but they also may have JJ, TT or AK. Because of that you may want to bet right into the person and see if they raise you. Or you may want to check raise them and see if they three bet you. If they do, then the most likely case is they have you beat. At that point I usually fold but you can call another bet to see the turn card. If it doesn't improve your hand then you can fold and save yourself two big bets (turn and river). Notice that this is much different then just checking and calling since that really doesn't tell you anything. This trick isn't fool proof though because sometimes people will three bet you or raise with AK with nothing on the flop. Or they may decide to just call you down or raise you on a later street. If the person is willing to raise or three bet you with AK with no pair on the flop then you'll most likely be able to see that level of aggression in other parts of the game. And when that happens, you'll decide to call them down more.

A raise is also very useful when trying to force your opponents out of the current hand. It takes some knowledge of how odds are calculated when doing so. For instance, say you have two pair on the turn and only the river is left to come. There are two diamonds on the table and you believe your opponent is looking for the third diamond to make a flush. Your opponent’s chances of getting the card he or she needs is about one in five, or twenty percent. Your bet should be substantially more than twenty percent (I prefer closer to 40%) of the pot to force your opponent out of the hand. Even if your opponent calls you are making him or her pay more than they should to stay in the hand. This is profitable in the long run for you. When you hold a monster hand like AA, it plays better with fewer players. The more players in the hand the more chances someone will suck out on the turn or river and beat you with 2 pair, straight, or a flush, eliminate your competition.

Hands that would lose moderately from early positions win moderately or heavily from late positions. This means you can easily establish psychological dominance by raising when you act after your opponents. Most serious players know this, but they fail to realize the extent to which this concept can be profitably applied. When it comes to raising, position shouldn't just be a concept that you intellectually acknowledge. It should be a primary factor in deciding whether or not to raise. Raise to gain position!

Raising in late position on the flop to receive a free card or as semi-bluff on promising hands are both often profitable. These raises are made when you have not yet made your hand, you are close to last to bet, and there are outs to help your current hand. Occasionally these raises will work as bluffs and everyone will drop, which is perfectly alright with you since you have not made a hand yet. The object of this raise is to give yourself a chance to get the cards you need to make a good hand without anyone else raising after the turn. If you get the card you need on the turn, you keep raising as if you had it all along. If you do not get the card you need, you can raise again to continue projecting a powerful hand, or simply check to see the river (if nobody else bets).

If you look back at all the reasons to raise you will see that a lot of the times when you raise you might accomplish more than one goal. You might raise to get a free card but also gain information and get more money in the pot. It’s good to have a specific reason or two in your mind before every raise, this way you will not be raising just for the sake of raising. Do not be predictable with your raises and change the amount of your raises. The more variables in the mix, the more confusing it is and the more likely your opponents will make mistakes.

Raising in Poker is another great weapon in your arsenal of valuable tools to gain vital information about your opponents and their hands.
 

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Bones McCoy, www.gambling911.com

Originally published October 8, 2005 3:45 pm EST