The Free Card - Another Poker Folly
The Free Card - Another Poker Folly
Players will often find themselves in a game with very weak hands. Perhaps the flop completely missed, everybody has been dealt a dud, or some poor bluffs have been called. In any case it occurs that all players are now holding a weak hand. Nobody is prepared to pay for another card but would be happy to take one for free.
Weak Hands
Players will often find themselves in a game with very weak hands. Perhaps the flop completely missed, everybody has been dealt a dud, or some poor bluffs have been called. In any case it occurs that all players are now holding a weak hand. Nobody is prepared to pay for another card but would be happy to take one for free.
Checks round the table and more cards come out. Two things can happen now. A player has improved their hand, or it remains weak. As the previous round has however revealed nothing about those hole cards only the players themselves will know what they hold. Now is a good chance for an aggressive play out of position. Any player who did not improve would almost be forced to fold. However, a player who has improved might raise and the aggressor has simply tossed their money away.
Back up a round and it starts to seem that the round of checks was not such a good thing. A late position bet would have been better. A bet into a weak table tends to be met with folds. Calls announce something about a hand, even if weak it helps rule out some possibilities. In some cases it may even root out a twitchy slow player who feels compelled to raise.
Natalie holds 5♥ 7♣ in the big blind. The small blind along with two limpers make it to the flop of 2♣ 4♦ 9♠. The small blind checks and in a terrible position Natalie has no choice but to check, which is followed by two more checks. The turn comes 3♠. The small blind checks again. Natalie has an open ended straight draw suddenly so makes a half-pot bet. She gets one fold and is raised by the late position player. The small blind folds. Natalie is stuck. The raiser had limped in and checked on the flop. He may have a pair now, or he could be drawing for a higher straight. Check Raise Failure A regular source of free cards is a failed check raise. One player has a decent hand and would like to pick up a few chips but rather not see another card. They check in hopes that one of their more aggressive opponents will take the bait and place a bet. Strangely the opponents are silent and respond with a check in turn.
One more card and the decent hand now only looks mediocre. Even worse, as no bet was made last round nobody really has any idea what the other is holding. Another check and the aggressor is now sure to bet regardless of what they have. Bet and the aggressor might raise since they know their own hand is still a mystery at the table. Perhaps instead they fold and the once strong hand collects not but a meagre pot.
None of these outcomes match the original desire to make a bit more money on the hand. While the original risk may well have been worthwhile after a free card the game completely changes. A lack of information on the players makes it very difficult to decide on the next action.
Lidya holds two mid pairs on the fourth street in 7 card stud, and sees Bart showing A♠ 9♦. Knowing his aggression she checks hoping he will bet. Bart is however strangely silent. The fifth street brings a 9♣ for Bart and Lidya is now in a terrible bind. Slowplay
More than just a good hand, some player has picked up a near nut hand, or the absolute nuts itself. They are in little danger of losing to a lucky draw so they check. Should somebody bet they'll simply call and check again on the next round. However, should nobody call the situation looks exactly the same as if everybody has a weak hand.
A player with the nuts is really hoping that one or more players have improved their hands on the next round. They are hoping those players now either feel confident in a win or a big bluff attempt. The improved hand will just lose to the better one and the bluffer will simply have tossed their money away.
Marique gets in holding A♠ 6♠. The flop comes 7♠ 8♠ 2♠ giving Marique the ace-high flush. Everybody checks and the turn comes A♦. Marique again checks to Rui who now has a a pair of aces, holding A♣ Q♦. He decides to bet and two players fold. Marique calls. A disaster for Rui the river shows A♥. Having not seen a bet on the flop Rui incorrectly assumes that Marique also hit trip aces but is confident his queen is top kicker. He bets and is raised by Marique. Free but costly Given the various manners in which free cards come about it is not unexpected that it happens often. Except for the player holding the nuts, a free card poses difficulty to the players. Once a round has gone by without any action players may find themselves sitting in the dark. Lacking some information it is very difficult to decide what to do now.
For those out of position with drawing hands a free card can be a boon. Making their draw for free is certainly easier than making a marginal call. A particularly weak hand has nothing to gain from a free card though. Even if they improve they could still easily be the dog and falsely lulled into tossing more money into the pot.
It isn't always possible to control the gifting of a free card. Even when it is possible there is likely some other course of action that also makes sense. Poker is a game about information, and any move which doesn't reveal more information is dangerous. There are good reasons to check hands, but any player in the position to dole out a free card should firstly consider all their other options.
Players will often find themselves in a game with very weak hands. Perhaps the flop completely missed, everybody has been dealt a dud, or some poor bluffs have been called. In any case it occurs that all players are now holding a weak hand. Nobody is prepared to pay for another card but would be happy to take one for free.
Weak Hands
Players will often find themselves in a game with very weak hands. Perhaps the flop completely missed, everybody has been dealt a dud, or some poor bluffs have been called. In any case it occurs that all players are now holding a weak hand. Nobody is prepared to pay for another card but would be happy to take one for free.
Checks round the table and more cards come out. Two things can happen now. A player has improved their hand, or it remains weak. As the previous round has however revealed nothing about those hole cards only the players themselves will know what they hold. Now is a good chance for an aggressive play out of position. Any player who did not improve would almost be forced to fold. However, a player who has improved might raise and the aggressor has simply tossed their money away.
Back up a round and it starts to seem that the round of checks was not such a good thing. A late position bet would have been better. A bet into a weak table tends to be met with folds. Calls announce something about a hand, even if weak it helps rule out some possibilities. In some cases it may even root out a twitchy slow player who feels compelled to raise.
Natalie holds 5♥ 7♣ in the big blind. The small blind along with two limpers make it to the flop of 2♣ 4♦ 9♠. The small blind checks and in a terrible position Natalie has no choice but to check, which is followed by two more checks. The turn comes 3♠. The small blind checks again. Natalie has an open ended straight draw suddenly so makes a half-pot bet. She gets one fold and is raised by the late position player. The small blind folds. Natalie is stuck. The raiser had limped in and checked on the flop. He may have a pair now, or he could be drawing for a higher straight. Check Raise Failure A regular source of free cards is a failed check raise. One player has a decent hand and would like to pick up a few chips but rather not see another card. They check in hopes that one of their more aggressive opponents will take the bait and place a bet. Strangely the opponents are silent and respond with a check in turn.
One more card and the decent hand now only looks mediocre. Even worse, as no bet was made last round nobody really has any idea what the other is holding. Another check and the aggressor is now sure to bet regardless of what they have. Bet and the aggressor might raise since they know their own hand is still a mystery at the table. Perhaps instead they fold and the once strong hand collects not but a meagre pot.
None of these outcomes match the original desire to make a bit more money on the hand. While the original risk may well have been worthwhile after a free card the game completely changes. A lack of information on the players makes it very difficult to decide on the next action.
Lidya holds two mid pairs on the fourth street in 7 card stud, and sees Bart showing A♠ 9♦. Knowing his aggression she checks hoping he will bet. Bart is however strangely silent. The fifth street brings a 9♣ for Bart and Lidya is now in a terrible bind. Slowplay
More than just a good hand, some player has picked up a near nut hand, or the absolute nuts itself. They are in little danger of losing to a lucky draw so they check. Should somebody bet they'll simply call and check again on the next round. However, should nobody call the situation looks exactly the same as if everybody has a weak hand.
A player with the nuts is really hoping that one or more players have improved their hands on the next round. They are hoping those players now either feel confident in a win or a big bluff attempt. The improved hand will just lose to the better one and the bluffer will simply have tossed their money away.
Marique gets in holding A♠ 6♠. The flop comes 7♠ 8♠ 2♠ giving Marique the ace-high flush. Everybody checks and the turn comes A♦. Marique again checks to Rui who now has a a pair of aces, holding A♣ Q♦. He decides to bet and two players fold. Marique calls. A disaster for Rui the river shows A♥. Having not seen a bet on the flop Rui incorrectly assumes that Marique also hit trip aces but is confident his queen is top kicker. He bets and is raised by Marique. Free but costly Given the various manners in which free cards come about it is not unexpected that it happens often. Except for the player holding the nuts, a free card poses difficulty to the players. Once a round has gone by without any action players may find themselves sitting in the dark. Lacking some information it is very difficult to decide what to do now.
For those out of position with drawing hands a free card can be a boon. Making their draw for free is certainly easier than making a marginal call. A particularly weak hand has nothing to gain from a free card though. Even if they improve they could still easily be the dog and falsely lulled into tossing more money into the pot.
It isn't always possible to control the gifting of a free card. Even when it is possible there is likely some other course of action that also makes sense. Poker is a game about information, and any move which doesn't reveal more information is dangerous. There are good reasons to check hands, but any player in the position to dole out a free card should firstly consider all their other options.
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