On Line Poker

Learning the Free Card Tactic in Poker

The "free card" tactic is based on two premises:

1. A raise is perceived by other players as a sign of strength, and players have a tendency to check to players who have raised earlier. 2. Raising in a low betting round is cheaper than calling in a high betting round.

When you are on a draw and are in late position, you can use these two observations to draw cards to your hand more cheaply than with the basic strategy of simply checking and calling.

Suppose you are playing Texas Hold'em, you are the dealer, and you have Kh-Qh in the hole. You and two other players call before the flop. The flop is 10d-Jh-8s, giving you an outside straight draw to the nuts. Player A bets, Player B calls, and now it's your turn. What should you do? Since you are on a straight draw against two opponents, basic strategy tells you to stay in the hand cheaply by calling. But wait a minute: Is calling the cheapest way to stay in?

Maybe not. If you raise here, you are costing yourself an extra low bet now. Most likely, Players A and B will call your raise. It's what happens after the next card that is critical. Often, because you have shown strength by raising on the flop, both your opponents will check to you. Because you are the dealer and get to act last, you can check too, and thereby get through the turn without paying anything. You then get to see the river card for "free," and if it doesn't help you, you can simply fold on a river bet, having paid nothing since your little raise on the flop. Essentially, the free card play trades the cost of a little raise for the savings of a big call, and you get to see two cards for the price of one, kind of. Thus, you really are following basic strategy, because you are staying in the draw for as cheaply as possible. Note how this concept is consistent with semi-bluffing; the difference is that you would prefer to be called here.

This tactic is used most commonly in Hold'em games, because the fixed rotation of the betting allows you to know when you will be last to act. You can try it even when you are not acting last, but you have to be pretty sure that your raise on the flop will "buy the button, that is, force players behind you to fold, giving you the ability to act last on the next betting round. The free card principle can be applied in Stud, but only if you are fairly sure that you will be last to act on fifth street, such as when the player to your left is showing a pair or something like A-K on fourth street.

Beyond pure economics, this play has value from its inherent deception. But the free card tactic carries risk. If the opening bettor has a particularly strong hand, he might re-raise you on the flop. Or if the turn card really helps him or another player, one of them could open, which would negate your ability to see the river for free. By raising on the flop with your draw, you are taking a chance that neither of these will happen.

Also, keep in mind that the free card play is well known by players of even modest experience. In casino poker rooms, the tactic is so common that a Hold'em player who raises in late position when there are two suited cards on the board is effectively represeting a flush draw. At your average home game, however, among opponents who are good enough to understand basic strategy but still not very sophisticated, the free card tactic will be perceived as nothing short of wizardry.