When Should You Raise in Poker?

In poker, there are four betting rounds in which players have the opportunity to bet. Before the flop, players have the opportunity to bet or check. If someone bets, the next player has the option to fold, call, or raise.

A player may also raise if there has been no bet on the current round. The minimum bet is usually the same as the big blind.

After the flop, the next betting round starts with the first player remaining in the hand who did not already open betting on the previous round (the “button”). Once again, if there is a bet, the next player has the option to fold, call, or raise.

The turn is when the fourth community card is dealt. The third betting round starts with the same rules as the flop.

PRO TIP:Raise when you have a strong hand and want to maximize your winnings. Be sure to assess the table first to see if other players may be likely to call or fold. If the table is tight, you can raise with a wider range of hands. If it’s loose, be more selective and raise only with hands that have strong potential.

The last community card is dealt on the river and is followed by a fourth and final betting round. The rules of this round are also identical to those of the flop and turn.

At any point during a hand in which there is more than one person remaining, anyone can put all of their chips in the pot (“go all-in”), regardless of how much money they have. When someone does go all-in, any additional betting is done in a side pot between only those players who have more money than the all-in player.

That way, everyone still has something to win even if they cannot beat the all-in player. Only those players who have put money in that side pot can win it.

A player may also choose to “check” on any betting round instead of betting themselves. Checking means that a player does not put any money in the pot for that particular round, but they do stay in play for that hand. If everyone checks on a particular betting round (meaning that no one has actually made a bet), then play proceeds to the next card being dealt without anyone putting more money in the pot.

When should you raise in poker?
If you have a good hand and want to increase your chances of winning, you should raise when it’s your turn to bet. By doing so, you force other players to put more money into the pot and make it more likely that they’ll fold if they have a weak hand.