Check Raising in Multi-Player Pots

The check raise is a powerful move from early position when you get into a pot with two or more additional players. Regardless of what you’re holding, this move will win many pots outright and worst case, provide you with information on the strength of your opponents hand(s). For example:

You’re playing 5/10 Limit Texas Hold’em and you complete from the Small Blind to see the flop with both the Button and Big Blind. You look down to see 5d 7d and the flop brings 4s 6h Jh. You quickly check your open ended straight draw and the Big Blind tosses out a bet, the Button also calls. Now is the prime time to check raise because A: You have outs and B: You’re likely to get at least one of these players out of the pot if they’ve connected with bottom or middle pair.

You want to build equity in this pot because you’re on a big draw and unless your opponent is drawing to the heart flush, you’re going to hold the nuts if you connect on your straight draw. Even if you miss and bet to the river you are still creating the image that you hold a solid hand. If your opponent did indeed miss the flush draw, they’re going to have a tough time calling off one more bet with no hand to speak of.