If you plan on calling a bet then, in most cases, you should initiate one rather than checking and calling. Your bet may cause other players to fold. By betting you are also making them wonder about the strength of your hand. If you check and then call you are telling your opponents that your hand is not very strong or you are on a draw.

When you have top pair, trips, or another hand that you think is best at the time but could be beaten, then you should bet. You don't want to give anyone a free card to possibly draw you out on the river. Make them pay to continue with the hand if they are on a draw.
When you have the nuts or a very strong hand, you want to get as much money in the pot as possible. You may be tempted to try for a check-raise. Unless you are certain that an opponent will bet, you are better off betting your hand outright. When you bet your hand on the turn, you will get other players with drawing hands to call you because they are hoping to make their hand on the river. If you check and everyone else checks, you have missed an opportunity to get their money in the pot. If you bet and they fold, so be it. If you check and then bet the river, these same players will fold anyway if they did not make their hand, and you have lost a bet they would have put in on the turn.

• Poker – Straight Draws (0)
• The Turn In Poker (0)
• Poker Trips Vs Sets (0)

Straight draws are some of the most deceptive hands to read. An innocent looking flop can spell potential disaster if you are not paying close attention to the board. In low-limit games players love to play any connectors and sometimes gapped cards. If you see three cards in sequence and there is action, it is easy to determine that someone has made a straight. But you also need to give the board a closer look to determine if there is any inside straight draws possible. There are several different types of straight draws you can have.

Straights can be a profitable hand but they can also be easily compromised and beaten by bigger hands. Before you continue drawing to a straight you must be fairly sure that it will win if you make it. If the flop brings two suited cards, or a pair, you may be drawing dead to a flush or full house. If you do make your straight, you want to play it fast and aggressively. If you are certain of a bet, you can check-raise, but don't slow pay this hand. Don't give anyone a free card in case the board pairs or a flush card falls giving someone the potential cards to beat you.

With all drawing hands you want to make sure that you are getting proper pot odds for your draw. This means that you want to have many people involved in the hand. This is usually the case in most low-limit games. Four or more players seeing the flop and continuing on should afford you the proper money in the pot to continue with a straight draw.

• Poker – When The Board Pairs (0)
• Betting In Poker (0)
• The Turn In Poker (0)