Checking the turn.

Here's a good way to find out the strength of your opponents hand within certain circumstances.

You need to be heads up, and you need to be second to act every round. It's a great way to determine if your opponent is trying to make a play on you.

Say you have A-K, and you raised 3x the BB preflop and only got one caller. They're first to act post flop when the flop comes down Q-J-4. Your opponent checks. You've missed the flop but you have a straight draw with 4 outs. You bet into your opponent with a semi-bluff of 4x the big blind. You get called quickly. With two face cards up there it's highly possible he may be trying to make a play on you with his AQ, KQ, or QJ. Flop comes with a 5. Your opponent checks. The 5 is no help to you, but now you're wondering if maybe he is check-calling you, just trying to feed off your bluffs. Check the turn. When the river comes a lot of players, being first to act, will not want to check if they have a hand because you might just check it too. A lot of people who were trying to check-call will now bet into you in hopes of getting a little more money for their hand. They don't want to check again because it's not certain you'll try and bluff again. Lets say the turn is a 7 and so your hand is shot. This time he bets into you because of the play you made and so now you know it would be wise to fold your hand without having lost much.

It's a great way to prevent you from trying to semi-bluff your way to victory in a pot only to end up all-in and getting busted by someone who made a great play.

Hope this helps a lot of you!

Jon

Betting on the flop with two overcards, as in your example, allows you to be able to take a free card in some cases as well. If you don't hit your AK on the flop, betting a standard amount after a check will either pick up the pot for you right then or buy you a free card on the next round. If someone is in check-call mode, a check on the flop from you might entice them to bet the turn, thus pushing you out of the hand if you don't hit the turn. By betting the flop here, you can either pick up the pot or gain a free river card by checking down the turn after your opponent attempts to trap.


Nice post Jon.

Thanks Chicubs, and nice addition to the post. What you've said is very true too, and free cards are always good when you're drawing. Figured I'd start posting some strategies, maybe get some discussion going that isn't "I lsot $4 with my pcket knigs!!1!".

I just noticed some mistakes too. I forgot to mention the 6 outs you have to hit your ace or king, but it's good to take notice that with that many face cards on the board you really need to be aware of a straight or two pair. Also, I called the river the turn.



Thanks again for the addition.

Jon

This is good stuff, I've been using the strategy Chicubs suggested in ring games for a few weeks now and it works more often than not. Really works well with tight/timid players. I generally won't pay to see a river unless my hand is made (or enormous outs) and this method allows me to do a little fishing as well...

Your play here is exactly why I will still check the bet on the river if I'm holding the QQ or QJ. If I'm fairly sure I have the winning hand a check on the river will induce a bet from someone who knows the only way to win the pot is to bet. If I were to bet they will fold. Even if I loose with the check/raise on the river, it gives the other players a chance to see my cards and is a good set up for a check/raise bluff on the river later in the game.
Feel free to critique my strategy, I am still trying to learn this game and all criticism is welcome.