03- 4-04, LearnTexasHoldem:
Why Check
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Answer: The usual time to check is when you have a hand that you are not going to continue with. You check and hope everyone else will check so you can see the next card but if they bet, then you are planning to fold. An example of this would be if you are in the big blind with 94 and the flop is AK6. You have nothing and you aren't going to put anymore money into the pot.
The next time to check is when you are going to call. You check because you don't want to get raised or cut anyone out of the game. You also would like to see what everyone else does behind you before you commit any money. An example might be if you have 56 in the big blind and the flop is 23Q. Notice that you have the gunshot straight draw (the 4 card). If lots of people are in the hand it is probably best to check and call. You are hoping that everyone calls one bet and no one raises. You'll get there 1/11 times so you don't want to have to pay two bets for it.
The last time to check is when you are planning to check and raise. All these options come up pretty often in the game. A check raise is when you check and someone bets behind you and instead of just calling, you raise it. This is a tool that can be used to get more money in the pot, to bluff, to semi-bluff or to cut off opponents in the middle. Let's say for example you have AK in the big blind and 5 other people are in already. The flop comes back AT4.
If you come out betting right now I promise you you'll get way more callers then you like since anyone with middle or bottom pair or even a without is getting the right price to stick around. A better move would be to check and hope someone in the back bets so you can check raise and force the players in the middle to pay two bets instead of one thus limiting the competition. It doesn't always work that way but you have to do whatever you can to protect your hand.
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