Check Or Checking In Poker: Poker Terms

August 07, 2024

Table of content:

What does check in poker mean?
Check in poker strategy
How to Use Checking as Part of Your Poker Strategy
When is checking a legal option in poker?
What does it mean to ‘check in the dark’?
FAQ's

If you are a poker newbie, then one of first things you must learn about poker are the different actions involved in it. One such action that commands significant importance is what is a check in poker. In this post, we will be explaining what call and check in poker mean along with the ideal check poker strategy.

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What Does Check Mean in Poker

What does checking mean in poker? When a player checks in poker, he simply passes the action to another player without making any wager. It is imperative to remember that you can only be checking in poker when no one has placed a bet before you on the current street. But if another player has made a bet before you on the current street then your only options are to call, raise or fold.

Vital to this, players generally do not have an option of checking in poker during the pre flop round unless they are specifically playing from the big blind position. This is because in games like Texas Holdem that has blinds, the small blind and big blinds usually act as the initial bets. Therefore, players are not allowed to call and check in poker because there is already a bet before them.

Moving on, let us understand the concept of call and check in poker better with a help of a short example:

Let’s assume you are playing a game of poker wherein you have been dealt 5 of hearts and 5 of diamonds as starting cards. The flop round comes and 3 cards – 2 of spades, 8 of clubs and Aces of hearts are dealt face up. You are second to act after the flop round and the person before you has already passed the action.

Now, since you hold pocket 5s but have not hit a three of a kind on the flop, your chances of winning this hand are currently quite bleak. Therefore, instead of committing too much to the pot you might decide to pass the action to the next player without making a bet. The act of passing the action is known as checking in poker.

Check in Poker Strategy

By now, you must have got a fair idea of what check in poker means. Now, in this section we have detailed the ideal checking poker strategy.

To be honest, checking poker is generally seen as a pretty weak move as it signals to the opponents you have a mediocre to bad hand. But this is not to say checking in poker is always a bad move. Instead, if used strategically, call and check in poker can be used as a way to deceive or mislead the strength of a strong hand. This is popularly known as slow playing in poker and can be employed when you have a strong enough hand but want to deceive your opponents into betting more and building the pot for you.

Vital to this, you can also resort to checking poker in a bid to see the next card for free. Such a move generally makes sense when you have a drawing hand such as straight draw or a flush draw, the value of which depends on whether you hit the right card or not.

How to Use Checking as Part of Your Poker Strategy

When we're trying to keep the size of the pot small, checking makes sense. This method could signal that we're dealing with a marginal or rubbish hand. With a firm hand, checking can also be used to deceive or mislead (referred to as Slowplaying).

When out of position and facing an opponent who took the last aggressive action on the preceding street, checking is a common tactic. This isn't usually the best strategy, but many players have acquired a habit of checking against an opponent who was aggressive the previous street.

When Should You Check Your Hand?

There are several reasons to check. Understanding each of them can improve your gameplay and free up your brain's processing power to focus on more critical issues.

1. If you have a terrible hand.

The first reason to check in poker is if your hand is bad or not strong enough to gamble on. For example, if you have 5-6 and the flip is 5-K-J, your bottom pair isn't very strong versus numerous opponents. So, if you're the first to act on the flop, betting against other players would be a hazardous move. (For example, if you are the player in the small blind or the player closest to the left of the small blind when the small blind is not in the hand.) Instead, check in this location more frequently and fold if anyone bets.

2. When you want to get a bluffer

Some players will also check a monster hand, trying to catch a bluffer. They'll do a check-raise, which means you first check the hand of another player and then raise their wager if they bet. This can also be a risky play, particularly on the flop or turn, because you cannot always rely on your opponent to bet. If they don't bet, and you were expecting to create the trap, they may wind up sucking out on the turn or river, possibly capturing a flush or straight, and beating your hand.

3. If you require further information.

Another reason to check is if you're in position, which means you're the last player to act on the flop or turn and you want to see the next card for free. This occurs when a player in position flops a gut-shot straight draw and does not want to risk being check-raised, so they check back the flop and try to hit that straight on the turn or river.

When is checking a legal option in poker?

When no bets have been placed on the current betting round, checking is the sole permissible alternative. Our lawful alternatives are to call, fold, or raise if a bet has already been placed.

Because the huge blind post counts as the first bet, most players are unable to check during the preflop betting round. The big blind, on the other hand, can check before the flop if no one else raises.

What does it mean to ‘check in the dark’?

Preemptively checking without waiting to see which cards are dealt is known as "checking in the dark." A player cold-calling out of the large blind, for example, might say 'check in the dark' before the flop is dealt. His decision to check is now final, regardless of which cards fall.

Apart from the prospect of psyching out or confusing our opponents, there is no strategic advantage to acting in the dark.

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FAQ's

What is a check in poker?

A check is when a player chooses not to bet during their turn. It's a way to pass the action to the next player without putting additional chips into the pot.

Can I check at any point in the game?

Yes, you can check when it's your turn, except when a bet has been made. If someone bets, you must either call, raise, or fold, but you cannot check.

Why would someone choose to check?

Players may check to control the pot size, observe opponents' actions, or disguise the strength of their hand. It's a strategic move used to gather information or induce a bluff.

Can I check after the flop, turn, and river?

Yes, after each community card is dealt, you have the option to check, bet, call, raise, or fold based on the current state of the hand and your strategy.

What happens if everyone at the table checks?

If all players check in a betting round, the next community card is dealt. If the final betting round completes with all checks, the remaining players reveal their hands, and the winner is determined.

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