Marcus Bateman / Marcus Bateman / 26 May 2009 / Leave a comment

Throwing in the occasional check raise bluff is essential to a well balanced poker game.

As check raising is a tool that is very useful for extracting extra value from a hand when out of position, it is crucial that your opponents know that you are capable of making this move as a bluff, so that an element of doubt is thrown into their mind when deciding whether to call your check raises.

Check raise bluffing is also an essential tool against players who continuation bet too frequently

Check raise bluffing can also be an extremely lucrative play against weak players - particularly ones who regularly check their monsters.

Because these players tend to try and trap with their big hands, their first instinct when confronted my a check raise is not to think about what you would likely do that with, but what hand they would do it with. As they tend to check raise their big hands, mostly they will assume this is what others will do, and as a result will take check raises far too seriously.

Check raise bluffing is also an essential tool against players who continuation bet too frequently. Some players at the mid and low stakes will basically always fire at flops if they were the pre flop raiser, regardless of flop texture or tendencies of their opponent.

These players can be easily exploited by someone willing to throw in a healthy mix of check raise bluffs and check raises with big hands, as the habitual continuation bettor will be constantly put in very awkward situations with their hands, and usually a big mistake from them will not be very far around the corner if you push them hard enough.

Each play you make in poker has to be balanced in order for your opponents to be unable to exploit it. As a result, you have to be willing to check raise bluff in order for that play not to become transparent to your opponents.

Check raising is also one of the strongest looking moves in poker, and because of this it can be used to tell quite a believable story about the monster you supposedly have, and this can lead to taking down some nice pots if timed well.

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