Are you looking to take your poker game to the next level? One of the most common pieces of advice is to “be more aggressive.” But aggression for its own sake isn’t the goal. The true objective is to increase your win rate and win more money, which requires calculated and controlled aggression.
If you want to effectively steal more pots and put your opponents in tough spots, there is one method that stands above the rest: learning to check-raise more often. Most players do not check-raise nearly as frequently as game-optimal strategies suggest, creating a massive opportunity for you to exploit their passivity.
Here are the key scenarios where you can ramp up your aggression with the powerful check-raise.
Scenario 1: Exploit Opponents Who C-Bet Too Often
Many players have a default strategy of making a continuation bet (c-bet) on almost every flop, often with weak hands like ace-high. This predictable pattern is a prime opportunity for you to check-raise.
When you identify a player who c-bets too frequently, you can start defending your big blind with a wider range of hands pre-flop, knowing they are likely to make mistakes after the flop.
How to Check-Raise Against Frequent C-Bettors:
- Sizing on Favorable Boards: On boards that connect well with your opponent’s pre-flop raising range (e.g., boards with mostly high cards), you should check-raise with a large size to put maximum pressure on their medium-strength hands.
- Sizing on Unfavorable Boards: On boards where their range is likely to miss (e.g., low-card, uncoordinated, or paired boards), you can check-raise with a smaller size to make them fold hands like king-high or ace-high.
- Hands to Use: You should balance your check-raising range with both strong made hands and various draws. This includes:
- Made Hands: Hands like Queen-Jack or King-Jack and better, depending on the specific board texture.
- Draws: Good draws to check-raise include open-ended straight draws (e.g., 7-5 on a 6-4-K board), gut shots (e.g., 8-7 on a T-9-2 board), and even backdoor flush draws that have extra equity, like an overcard or a backdoor straight draw. A hand like Ace-Two of hearts can be a profitable check-raise if your opponent is known to fold too often.
What to Do When They Call:
If your opponent calls your flop check-raise, you must consider their likely calling range.
- If they are likely calling with a wide range that includes hands as weak as ace-high, you should continue betting aggressively on the turn.
- If they have a tight calling range (e.g., only a pair or better), you should often give up on the turn when you are bluffing.
Scenario 2: Attack Weak Bet Sizes
Your opponents’ bet sizes can often tell you the exact strength of their hand, particularly at small to medium stakes. Small bets on the turn or river frequently signal a medium-strength hand (like a top pair with a weak kicker) or a weak hand trying to get to a cheap showdown.
When you see these weak bets, you should check-raise very frequently. This move puts your opponent in a terrible position after they have already announced their weakness.
Sizing and Strategy for Attacking Small Bets:
- Bluff Sizing: When bluffing, you generally want to use the smallest size possible that will still get them to fold. You might also consider going very large with a bluff while using a smaller size for your value bets to get maximum calls when you have a strong hand.
- River Planning: Your river strategy depends entirely on your opponent’s tendencies.
- If they call your turn check-raise but will fold to more pressure, you should blast the river, potentially going all-in.
- If they call the turn widely but fold on the river unless they improve, you should also plan to fire a big bet on the river, possibly for more than the pot size.
- However, if you are against a “calling station” who will call the turn wide and never fold the river, you can check-raise the turn as a bluff but should not continue bluffing on the river.
Scenario 3: Check-Raise on Boards That Are Good for You
You should be at your most aggressive when the board texture gives you the “nut advantage”—meaning your range of possible hands contains the strongest combinations, while your opponent’s does not.
- Favorable Board Example: An opponent raises from an early position, and you call from the big blind. The flop comes 7-6-5. This board is excellent for your range, as you can have many straights (like 9-8 or 4-3), which are far less likely to be in their range. This is a perfect spot to check-raise aggressively. You can use your best hands like sets and two pairs, as well as strong draws like open-enders.
- Unfavorable Board Example: Conversely, on a board like Ace-King-Queen, your opponent is the one with the nut advantage, so you should avoid check-raising frequently here.
General Principles for Smart Aggression
Mastering aggression is about more than just betting. The most critical element is paying close attention to your opponents’ tendencies. You must adapt your strategy based on how often they c-bet, what hands they call with, and what their bet sizes mean. By identifying these patterns, you can apply pressure in the most profitable spots and take down more pots.