From: jfr@glitter.RedBrick.COM
Newsgroups: rec.gambling
Subject: Re: Attention Hold'em vultures^H^H^H^Hexperts
Date: 13 Sep 92 02:08:39 GMT
Organization: Red Brick Systems, Los Gatos, CA

In article <18ock9INNk8b@agate.berkeley.edu> you write:
>I will hereby identify myself as a relative newbie to no-limit Texas Hold'em
>and as a participant in the wrgpt2.
 
  Welcome aboard and good luck... 

>I've only played home games of poker, and so I was hoping somebody could 
>clarify the small and big blind betting system.

  The purpose of blinds is to stimulate action.  The player to the left
  of the dealer is the "small blind" and bets the amount of the small
  blind.  The next player bets the big blind.  These are forced bets
  and MUST be called by succeeding players if they do not want to fold.

  A call is making a bet equal to the current bet.  A check is a NO BET
  which can not be made on the first round (since the blinds force
  everyone who might check otherwise to call the blind bets).  The blinds
  are "live" in WRGPT2 (they can be "dead" or "alive" depending on the
  rules of the game).  "Live" means that the player who was forced to
  make the bet can raise when the bets come around to him.  The small
  blind, who is already in for half of the big blind, must at least
  call the big blind to stay in.  Since the blinds are live, the small
  blind can also raise.  The big blind may pass and stay in if there
  have been no other raises since his blind is the one everyone else
  has presumably called.  He may also raise at his turn to bet.

  What is interesting is that the blinds are last to act on the first
  round of betting but are subsequently "under the gun" (first to
  act) on all subsequent rounds of betting.  Therefore you will often
  see the blinds (particularly the big blind) raise a lot on the
  first round just to drive out some of the people who might have 
  decided to call the smaller bet but would fold a raise.  The pot
  odds are good and they act with knowledge of how many people have
  already called.  
>
>I also don't understand the difference between a call and a check. It seems
>that they are the same, no? What exactly is a 'check and raise'?

  I mentioned before that a call is what you do to match the current
  bet level (a raise increases it).  A check is when you make no bet
  (except on the first round when you must bet or fold).  Often an
  entire round (or even two) will be checked all the way around the
  table with no betting because no one has anything to bet, or they 
  are slowplaying.  Or they are trying to catch a "check and raise".  

  A check and raise is when you check the bet (no bet) in the hopes
  that someone else bets and everyone around to you calls.  Then you
  spring the trap and raise (ostensibly your original check shows
  weakness and now your raise shows strength).  This is especially
  vital in limit poker where the only way to make a BIG bet is to
  get in a raise.  In no-limit poker, you can bet anything you want
  right out.  Here the usefulness is to hope that lots of people
  call the original bettor and then you hit them with the raise.
  Keep in mind though that the risk is that everyone will check and
  then, not only can't you raise, but you don't even get a minimum
  bet out of everyone (in essence, you have given everyone free pass
  to a card that might outdraw you).  

  You may find check-and-raise frowned on in "polite" Friday night
  social poker.  However, it is a vital part of the strategy of
  poker and should always be permitted.  The best players are
  commanders of check-and-raise strategies.  
>
>(I feel the vultures circling overhead.....)
 
  Its only ether dollars :-)

>mark

  Jon Rosen
Newsgroups: rec.gambling