Worst Move in Poker

Today I am going to talk about the most overly used play in any poker game. The dark check. Checking dark is announcing that you are going to check before a card has been tabled. It can only be legally done by the first player to act after a card has been tabled. Players that check dark are hopping to catch a big hand or to provoke a bet by another player to gain more chips.

I am not a fan of the dark check. I believe that too many things can happen by checking before you know what is going to be tabled. Let's run a few scenarios. In all cases you have checked dark.

You are a blind and have two low cards. You flop bottom or middle pair or a draw. Someone bets out a large bet. You most likely will have to fold. Where as if you had not checked dark you could have come out bet your hand and if no one has a hand you may take it down without seeing another card. Why take the chance that all will check and see a free card and beat your hand. I always prefer to be the raiser rather then the caller.

You have a top 5 hand. You are hoping someone catches something smaller then you take a big pot. It does work sometimes. Why would you want to risk the chance that someone will catch a bigger hand then you. If someone checks dark to me and I am on a draw I will always check and see a free card and hope to catch. I have cracked big hands many times by being able to check and catch my draw. Remember it ALWAYS better to win a small hand then lose out on a big one!

In a check down situation. It is very common when a player ia all in and there is still action left between two players and no side pot to check dark. I have written about this subject before, in most cases I will check down, but not all. If I have a mid pair and flop is all unders and the pot is a big enough one. I think a bet into a dry side pot is the right play. Why give free cards to someone that might hit and beat you. On the other hand if you do not have a made hand then checking is appropriate. I still think you should always keep your option to bet open in case you do make your hand. The goal in a check down situation is to take a player out, but your goal is to get as many chips as you can, Sometimes these two things can contradict themselves.

These are just a few situations, so before you check dark next time please think. Is this really what I should be doing and what do I hope to gain by doing so. Lastly if you do check dark and lose a big hand I don't want to hear your bad beat story. It's not a bad beat story it's a bad play by you story!