Advanced Texas Holdem - Why Check-Raising is For Losers
It's a confusing advanced Texas Holdem strategy to implement. Read this article now to find out why check raising is for losers, unless your a WPT champion.
I know that advanced Texas holdem poker professionals, WPT champions and the mysterious 'Texas Poker Gods' all tell you to check raise, check and raise, check first and raise later. However, for the most part I advised against this strategy. If you have followed my blog or articles for sometime you'll know this. The bottom line is this:
- When you check, you can only win by one way. That is to have better cards then the other players..
- When you raise, there are two ways you can win. That is to have better cards then the other players.. and the players can fold.
I would much prefer two ways rather than one.
Check raising is for losers. It doesn't work most of the time. It's a weak, wimpy play. It's bred from the poverty mindset of 'I have to save my chips. My precious chips!'. "I can see the flop for free and raise if I hit!". Or the even worse (in my books) overt-trickster mindset 'heehee I'm gonna trick him. Hehe'
You can't save your way to wealth. You can't trick your way into success. Hard work, consistent practice and a never ending desire to learn is what you need.
There is no replacement for a solid aggressive betting strategy. And you can't be aggressive when you are checking all the time. If you had pocket aces, why would you check? If you've hit a flush or have a nice flush draw, why would you check? If you've got a set and have an open ended straight draw, why would you check?
So unless you are so absolutely awesome at your pre-flop reading ability, and without a doubt know that your cards are better than your opponents, and that you will most likely flop a better hand then him, and that he will have a hand that's good enough to bet but still just worse then yours so you take the pot, then I wouldn't bother check-raising.
It's a confusing advanced Texas Holdem strategy to implement. Read this article now to find out why check raising is for losers, unless your a WPT champion.
I know that advanced Texas holdem poker professionals, WPT champions and the mysterious 'Texas Poker Gods' all tell you to check raise, check and raise, check first and raise later. However, for the most part I advised against this strategy. If you have followed my blog or articles for sometime you'll know this. The bottom line is this:
- When you check, you can only win by one way. That is to have better cards then the other players..
- When you raise, there are two ways you can win. That is to have better cards then the other players.. and the players can fold.
I would much prefer two ways rather than one.
Check raising is for losers. It doesn't work most of the time. It's a weak, wimpy play. It's bred from the poverty mindset of 'I have to save my chips. My precious chips!'. "I can see the flop for free and raise if I hit!". Or the even worse (in my books) overt-trickster mindset 'heehee I'm gonna trick him. Hehe'
You can't save your way to wealth. You can't trick your way into success. Hard work, consistent practice and a never ending desire to learn is what you need.
There is no replacement for a solid aggressive betting strategy. And you can't be aggressive when you are checking all the time. If you had pocket aces, why would you check? If you've hit a flush or have a nice flush draw, why would you check? If you've got a set and have an open ended straight draw, why would you check?
So unless you are so absolutely awesome at your pre-flop reading ability, and without a doubt know that your cards are better than your opponents, and that you will most likely flop a better hand then him, and that he will have a hand that's good enough to bet but still just worse then yours so you take the pot, then I wouldn't bother check-raising.
