Checking

Checking is simply a decision not to Raise the stakes. Unlike folding however, checking does not forfeit our right to continue in the hand.

There are two principal reasons why we would elect to Check as opposed to bet:

1. Our hand isn't strong enough to Bet with.
2. We wish to disguise the true strength of our hand from our opponents.

In general, checking is viewed as a weak/neutral play signifying a less than stellar hand. This is because most of the time when we Check we actually have a weak hand. The rest of time when we check, we want everyone else to think we have a weak hand.


There will be many situations where we hold a hand that we would not consider calling a Bet with and yet, because nobody else has bet, our options are to Check or Bet rather than fold, Call or raise. While there is merit in taking an occasional Stab at pots that nobody has registered an interest in, it is certainly not the case that we should normally Bet with these weak hands. Given that our hand wasn't strong enough to Call a bet, we should often view the option to Check as an opportunity to see future streets and improve our hand, rather than an opportunity to auto-bluff.
                                                                              Next Chapter: Calling