Internet poker advice is not complete without a look at the powerful 'no bet'

Allow me to 'check out' your Internet poker theory. This week’s Bible quotation:

And my honesty will testify for me in the future, whenever you check on the wages you have paid me. Any goat in my possession that is not speckled or spotted, or any lamb that is not dark-colored, will be considered stolen."
Genesis 30:32-34

Checking is another of the tools of well-rounded Internet poker players. It essentially is a ‘no-bet’ which hands the initiative to your opponent, whether to set him up for a check-raise, or because you hope to get a free card; or exercises your option to finish a round without any money entering the pot.

"What's a check-raise?"

It's a form of trap. You have a hand you think is good (example: you hold AdJd and the flop is Td9d6d. You have the nut flush, but a very unlikely 7d8d against you would be the straight flush). So you check, and hope your opponent bets, allowing you to raise.

The above Bible quotation seems to refer to a large pot: whenever you check on the wages you have paid me can only refer to checking behind a player on the river. He has checked to you, either because he’s expecting or hoping for a bet from you. Instead, you check behind him, indicating that you’re happy with the size of the pot, or not happy enough with the strength of your hand to bet again for value.

The reference to stolen goats and lambs is easy to explain, too. You check the river in first position after showing strength on previous rounds. Here, you have a hand you think is best, but are not really sure (it’s not the nuts). So you’re playing the lamb, waiting for the slaughter.

You are pretty sure your opponent will bet in an attempt to ‘steal the goat’ (the pot) after you have checked. This kind of move is very common in Internet poker, where body language is impossible to read. Sure enough, he fires in a pot-size chunk of chips.

You MUST call!

All your plans have brought you to this outcome. You have led the betting all the way, as if certain you’re ahead. Your check on the river shows sudden weakness. Perhaps you were bluffing all along, or perhaps you’re just a weak player who can now be pushed off the pot.

His big bet is almost certain to be a bluff. Call and count up his chips. And sometimes he will simply check behind you. Too bad, your trap failed. But you still won the pot.

Mix up your play. Don’t always try this move, or your opponents will get a read on you. You don’t want them to guess when you’re stealing their goat, or when you have the solid hand that will beat them anyway.

Keeping your opponents guessing is the key to winning at Internet poker. Advice is cheap: winning should be your bottom line.