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Unlike calling, raising has an extra way to win: opponents may fold. An opening bet may be considered a raise from a strategy perspective. Seven reasons for raising, summarized below.
1. To get more money in the pot when a player has the best hand: If a player has the best hand, raising for value enables him/her to win a bigger pot.
2. To drive out opponents when a player has the best hand: If a player has a made hand, raising may protect his/her hand by driving out opponents with drawing hands who may otherwise improve to a better hand.
3. To bluff or semi-bluff: If a player raises with an inferior or drawing hand, the player may induce a better hand to fold. In the case of semi-bluff, if the player is called, he/she still has a chance to improve to a better hand (and also win a larger pot).
4. To get a free card: If a player raises with a drawing hand, his/her opponent may check to him on the next betting round, giving him/her a chance to get a free card to improve his/her hand.
5. To gain information: If a player raises with an uncertain hand, he/she gains information about the strength of his/her opponent’s hand if he/she is called. Players may use an opening bet on a later betting round (probe or continuation bets) to gain information by being called or raised (or may win the pot immediately).
6. To drive out worse hands when a player’s own hand may be second best: Sometimes, if a player raises with the second best hand with cards to come, raising to drive out opponents with worse hands (but who might improve) may increase the expected value of his/her hand by giving him/her a higher probability of winning in the event his/her hand improves.
7. To drive out better hands when a come hand bets: If an opponent with an apparent come hand (drawing hand) bets before a player, if the player raises, opponents behind him/her who may have a better hand may fold rather than call a bet and raise. This is a form of isolation play.
Posted under Poker Strategy
This post was written by PokerGob on November 18, 2008
