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Raising

There are five basic reasons to raise in holdem:

1. To get more money in the pot.
2. To drive players out.
3. To bluff (or semi-bluff).
4. To get a free card.
5. To gain information.

If you think you have the bettor beat, it is generally correct to raise, even if you risk driving out players behind you. In fact, in many cases, it is very important to drive out players on the flop.

This is because in today’s modern structure, the size of the pot is often so large in relation to the bet on the flop that it sometimes becomes correct to draw to long-shot hands if there is no raise (on the flop).

Consequently, your raise in these spots often will save the whole pot for you. By the way, if you are raising on the flop to drive people out, it usually will work only against those players who have not yet has a chance to call the original bet.

It is rare player who will fold his poker hand on the flop for one more bet after he already has put money into the pot. (Sometimes, however, the original bettor will help you drive out players by reraising.)

Even if you are not sure that you have the best hand, a raise is often correct. Keep in mind that if you do hold the best hand, or if your hand becomes the best hand, your raise may have stopped other opponents from drawing out on you.

Here’s an example of raising with a probably second-best hand. Suppose you raised before the flop with and the flop is notice that you have a pair and an overcard, plus back-door straight and back-door flush potential.

If someone on your right bets, a raise is often correct, especially if you think that the raise will buy you a free card.

In very tough games, raising as a pure bluff can be occasionally done because players are capable of folding in big pots without calling one last bet.

An example of this type of play is when one player bets and another calls on the river. If the right cards are out especially if a scare card that is unlikely to help either of your opponent’s hits on the river you can raise.

This raise often works against the right players since there is a caller, who obviously is not poker bluffing.

This it looks as though you must have something to make this play. These plays usually are not recommended simply because they succeed rarely and are expensive when they fail.

However, if the conditions are perfect and you know your opponents well, you occasionally may find an opportunity to pull this play off successfully.

The one time that you can bluff-raise in a weaker game is when you think your opponent is bluffing, but also think your hand is even worse.

An example is when your flush draw did not get there, but the hand was played in such a fashion that you are fairly sure your opponent was also on a flush draw.

Here’s an example of this play. suppose you start with and the flop is An opponent bets, and you call.

This opponent does not have a history of trying to check-raise. A blank on hits on fourth street, and both you and your opponent check.

Notice that there is a good chance that he is also on a flush draw and was betting on the flop in an attempt to pick up the pot.

If another blank hits on the river and he bets, you may want to raise. If he was on a flush draw, you will probably win the pot.

You also can raise as a semi-bluff. For example, suppose you have the flop is and everyone checks. If the next card is the giving you the nut flush draw and a gut-shot straight draw, you should usually raise if someone bets.

A similar opportunity to raise sometimes occurs in a short-handed pot when everyone checks on the flop and fourth street does not bring an overcard or three to a straight or flush.

However, it gives you either a flush draw or an open-end straight draw. Now suppose an early-position player, who you know would try to steal in this spot, bets.

Your correct play is to raise in the hope that your opponent will fold. But if he does not fold, you still have outs. Here’s an example of this play. You start with and the flop is no one bets, and the turn card is the giving you an open-end straight draw.

If an early-position player bets, and he is the type of player who would try to pick up the pot with no hand, you should go ahead and raise. If he calls with a legitimate hand, you still have at least eight outs to win.

Another opportunity for a semi-bluff raise occurs almost any time that you pick up a5 back-door flush draw after calling on the flop with a pair.

But again, make this play only against someone who you think is capable of folding. And how likely is it that someone will fold for a raise? The answer is based on the answers to the following three questions.

1. How capable is this person of folding a big hand?
2. How likely is he to be semi-bluffing? (Of course, this is a matter of watching your opponent and learning exactly how he plays.)
3. How are you perceived by this particular individual? Specifically, if other players think you virtually never poker bluffing, you are more likely to get away with this play than if they think you are a wild and reckless player.

Raising to get a free card is best done when you are in late position and the bet is smaller than the bets on succeeding rounds. But, any hand that is worth a call is conceivably worth a raise.

Finally, raising to gain information should be done only rarely, usually just in heads-up situations. Even in the most favorable spots, this raise probably is not worth it, as you usually have to “pay” too much for the information.

However, if your hand may be worth a raise anyway, the face that you will gain information (based on how your opponent responds to your raise) might make raising the right play.

The best time to raise for information is against an opponent whose reaction to your raise will well define his hand. That is, depending on his play online poker you will know for certain whether your hand is best. Here’s an example.

You have and an ace flops. You want to raise someone who will only reraise if your poker hand is no good. However, if you fold when you are reraised you need to be correct virtually every time.