When Is It Correct To Check Blind?

[The Nuts 0]

I've always wondered about this.I see players such as Phil Hellmuth check in the dark and have the other opponent do the bidding.When should I do this and what are the advantages of checking in the dark?

[AcesUp46 0]

I've always wondered about this.I see players such as Phil Hellmuth check in the dark and have the other opponent do the bidding.When should I do this and what are the advantages of checking in the dark?

I think there actually is never a situation where checking in the dark is advantageous over checking after seeing the flop/turn/river card. By checking in the dark, you're acting before seeing information (from the board card(s) and perhaps from your opponent's reaction to the board) and having more information before you act is necessarily at least as good if not better than acting with less information.

[kes1981 0]

Checking in the dark has always seemed silly to me.

[TheCorporation3 0]

Checking in the dark has always seemed silly to me.

It is usually used best when you have a small pair. That way if you hit a set, you can milk them for more if they decide to bet. And if you don't flop a set, they might check behind and give you a free card. So either they check behind and give you the free card, or they bet. But if they bet and you make a set, you're happy. If they bet and you don't make a set, you can probalby just fold to a scary board.

[QWithATray 0]

I check blind when I'm not first to act just to confuse people...

[simo_8ball 0]

I like dark play. A while ago I played a hand against a mate in a small sidegame after a home tournament where - 1) I raised preflop2) He called3) I bet 1/2 pot on the flop4) He called5) I checked the turn6) He bet 1/3 pot7) I called8) I checked the river9) He moved in10) I called.We saw our hands preflop. From that point on every action was done dark. We were betting the flop preflop, the turn on the flop and the river on the turn. Fun, although I lost with TPTK queens to a set of 5s.It's like a straddle in that it's -EV, but it adds interest to the game.

[AcesUp46 0]

It is usually used best when you have a small pair. That way if you hit a set, you can milk them for more if they decide to bet. And if you don't flop a set, they might check behind and give you a free card. So either they check behind and give you the free card, or they bet. But if they bet and you make a set, you're happy. If they bet and you don't make a set, you can probalby just fold to a scary board.

You can also check after seeing that you have flopped a set. If you're opponent was the preflop raiser, a lot of the time, he's going to bet the flop whether you check dark or not and you can then go for your checkraise if you hit your set. I don't think the frequency with which he bets/checks the flop is a function of checking in the dark.Also, I have noted that a lot of players do this when they have small pairs or marginal hands. So as a matter of fact, by checkign dark, you are actually giving away information.

[aucu 3]

Some check blind with top pair low kicker, if the low card pairs they can crush you.Never really seen anyone use it to slow play.

[king_tanner 84]

Usually in my experiences people checking in the dark have always had a horrible starting hand. I usually play the lower limits like 3/6, 6/12 though. But I think checking in the dark could be advantageous if you have a good hand, because your opponent might put you on a bad hand.

[Canary3 1]

I dont really like checking dark and think its kind of dumb for reasons already stated. But I have done it before and i thought it might discourage a bet from my opponent. If I check, it means weakness (usually) if i check dark, it doesnt really mean anything

[ricker 0]

I like to check dark in several situations, for two very different reasons.First reason is if and only if I'm in the Small blind and I can concentrate on people's reactions to the flop. I have suited connectors and someone's called my raise with position on me, I have a low pocket pair,To throw someone off balance. If they're tilting, I espcecially like this move as it will make people slow down if they connect to the flop, giving me a free card.

[NocturnalRob 0]

i only like checking in the dark when i have a pair of fives against Josh Arieh's AK. That way when i hit my set on the flop, i can double up.

[suicideking 0]

Screw checking in the dark. I like to push in the dark.

[navybuttons 15]

the only time it is "correct" is in stud where you have trips or 2 pair and your opponent is obviously on a draw and can only call if he made it. if he made it he has to value bet it and if you made your house you can raise him.in hold 'em people use it for different psychological reasons. it's rare that the play ever has a +ev by doing so. typically dark check equals small PP or AQ,KQ.

[Canary3 1]

i only like checking in the dark when i have a pair of fives against Josh Arieh's AK. That way when i hit my set on the flop, i can double up.

that was a really bad dark check. He then goes up to Marcel and says soemthing to the extent of it was the check dark that got all the chips.

[CitizenSpade 0]

Checking in the dark gives you a better position position. Simple as that. By checking dark, he has to act first post-flop. You get to see the flop, his reaction to the flop, and his action. Plus, dark-checking is seen as odd, so your opponent will be more confused.

[antistuff 0]

Checking in the dark gives you a better position position. Simple as that. By checking dark, he has to act first post-flop. You get to see the flop, his reaction to the flop, and his action. Plus, dark-checking is seen as odd, so your opponent will be more confused.

that is a very unique way of looking at it and one that i like.

[Haz 0]

Checking in the dark gives you a better position position. Simple as that. By checking dark, he has to act first post-flop. You get to see the flop, his reaction to the flop, and his action. Plus, dark-checking is seen as odd, so your opponent will be more confused.

If he checks behind you, then you acted first and he acted second. This can potentially hurt you if he catches up on the free card.

[LongLiveYorke 38]

You could go your whole poker carreer without ever contimplating checking in the dark and be fine. I say it's best not to worry about when to use it. Use it in a home game if you're trying to be cute (or in the world series if you can DODGE BULLETS, BABY!!!)

[RISEorFall 0]

Checking in the dark gives you a better position position. Simple as that.

No. It gives your opponent a free card if he chooses. thats it. you don't get position because if he checks, you dont get another turn to act on that betting round.David Williams would've doubled up when he hit a set against Arieh's AK anyway, whether he checked dark or not.

[CitizenSpade 0]

No. It gives your opponent a free card if he chooses. thats it. you don't get position because if he checks, you dont get another turn to act on that betting round.David Williams would've doubled up when he hit a set against Arieh's AK anyway, whether he checked dark or not.

True, but look at the advantages.Let's say you darkcheck with AK. flop comes A J 2, rainbow. He bets (possibly a stab). Your now in a strong checkraise position, which will either get him to fold, or raise. He could call, but why? Slowplay three jacks? Call on a gutshot draw? Etc. And if he raises, then you have more information. Why? Well, now you know that he's bet, you raised, and now he's raising it a third time. If you would have bet the flop, and he raised, you have much less information. If he puts you on a bluffbet postflop, he can raise, putting you to the test. However, if he re-raises you a third time, you still have a tough decision, but an easier one than if you wouldn't of darkchecked, would have bet first, then been raised. You pretty much know he had a BIG hand (set, two pair at least). Only a lunatic re-re-raises with ******. A lunatic or a guy with nuts of steel.Get where im coming from?And if you flop a set, your checking anyway (unless the board comes a freakish 7h 9h 10h).And if it does come another heart, that's not only a scare card for you, but it might be for him too. Plus, you still have pair outs.As far as giving free cards, look at these examples.You darkcheck AK. Flop comes A 2 4 two spades. And he checks. Think.He probably wouldn't check a flush draw. Most people bet it, thus giving you a beautiful re-raise/allin move. He would check a set, thus saving you some money (because you probably would have bet this flop).He would check a PP that didn't connect with this board (leaving him only two outs).He would check a hand like KQ, KJ, QJ, or any of those types of hands. If he did, then he's practically drawing dead.He might check a weak Ace (A9 or A7), but even if he does, you still have him crushed, with him drawing to three 7s or 9s.True, he might hit a set (a 10 to 1 longshot off the flop), he might possibly check a flush draw and hit, he might jump up and down and singsong a broadway melody. But if he does check, giving himself a freecard, he's either drawing thin, or he has you crushed. If he's drawing thin, then your the favorite to win. If he has you crushed, you just might have saved yourself a bet (if not your money).Granted, this is only one hand and a few examples, but I think these types of plausible results outweigh the odds of getting beat WHEN you hit your hand.It should only be used in certain instances, and not when playing with amatuers.

[NonZeroPossibility 0]

Dark check is a purely psychological play and a great way to get information on your opponent without having to put any chips into the pot. I see DN and Hellmuth using this play from time to time, but you have to know how to use it properly to make it effective and you have the whole hand played out in your mind before the flop even comes whether you hit the flop you want or not. Once you check dark, your opponent will either bet or check. If he bets and you hit your hand hard, raise him or just flat call if you hit your set and there's no scare cards. Check raise the turn after this. Hell, you don't even have to hit it hard to raise because he will have no clue what you are checking in the dark then raising his raise. You could have hit a set, TPTK, 2 pair, etc. If he does check the flop, you can feel VERY safe about betting the turn no matter what you have in your hand.I remember one hand I played at Bellagio a couple months back in a 2/5NL game where I called a raise from the BB with AQ and I checked dark to see what the other 2 players would do and really because I wasn't exactly sure where I was with my AQ. I check dark, flop comes A 7 2. Original raiser UTG+1 makes it $25, MP2 raises to $75. How easy is this fold now? If I don't check dark, I probably lead at this pot, get called by UTG+1, then raised by MP2. I probably then call to see the turn and possibly lose my whole stack on this hand. As I played it, it cost me nothing more than the original pf raise I called and yes, AQ was WAY behind.

[Big Mike Watters 0]

that was a really bad dark check. He then goes up to Marcel and says soemthing to the extent of it was the check dark that got all the chips.

It was a really bad call for a good portion of his stack with that low pair...at least Josh thought so... B)

[tentenoffsuit 0]

I check dark a lot. With suited connectors, with trash, or with big pairs. I usually only do it if i know my opponents pretty well though. You won't see me doing it when i first sit down at the table...

[GUMBY 0]

Not a fan of checking in the dark. Too many people use it when they have small pairs, so like was said before, you're giving away information. Hellmuth uses it to gain information about the other player's hand. I think he can get away from big hands, unlike many of us. He can also donk off chips, but that's for another thread.