Poker - Check-Raising the Turn

You are playing a $1/2 No-Limit Hold’em Six-Max cash game at an online poker site. You are seated in the big blind and the cutoff has made a raise to $6. The action has folded to you and you call holding [Ah] [Jh].

The flop comes down [Th] [6h] [9c] and you check to your opponent, who bets $9. It is on you to act next, and you decide to raise to $27.

This line is known as the check-raise, and it is commonly found in situations like this. But what dynamics should be present to enable a solid check-raise on the turn? Let’s take a look.

A few years ago, a play became very popular on the internet. Players would raise pre-flop, bet the flop, and then make a large check-raise on the turn. This play was created to induce your opponent to bet the turn, when they had top pair and middle pair hands that they could not get away from.

Then, as the game advanced, pot controlling became en vogue, and the strategy became less popular. But, in each case, the same important point shines through – it is dependent on your opponent’s behaviour.

If your opponent floats a lot, then you can check-raise with semi-bluffs that contain equity, such as strong draws.

Another great way to introduce the check-raise on the turn concerns the times your opponent has a made hand, and you are sure your hand is stronger. Your aim on the turn is to check-raise, so to set up a pot-sized shove on the river.

So, two good reasons to check-raise the turn - just remember how important a player’s tendencies are before making your decision.