Explanation of Free Card
Opting to give a free card means that we conclude the betting action on a particular street by checking our cards. This allows our opponent to see the turn card without having to put in any more chips, effectively getting a look at it for 'free'. Typically, the phrase 'giving a free card ' is viewed negatively, suggesting that we have inadvertently aided our opponent in some way.
On the other hand, when we think of 'taking' a free card , it applies to the same situation but has a positive implication. This time we are able to view an additional card without having to place a bet, thus avoiding the risk of facing a check/raise from our opponent.
Example of Free Card used in a sentence -> There are various ways in which our current hand may be countered from the turn to the river, therefore we aim to prevent giving free cards .
How to Incorporate Free Card into Your Poker Approach
As is evident from the explanation, the implications of giving or taking a free card can be seen as either positive or negative, largely based on individual perspectives.
Certain players may gain more from receiving a free card compared to others. It could be a miscalculation on our part to let an opponent access a free card if they're likely to benefit more from it than we would. On the flip side, it may be advantageous to grant our opponent a free card if it appears to favor us more than them. Deciding to take the free card as the player in position hinges on a solid understanding of each player's possible hands.
As a general guideline, keep in mind the following points -
- Players holding vulnerable made hands typically prefer not to give free cards . They often would rather secure their equity by making a bet.
- Draw hands frequently stand to gain from seeing free cards , especially when their chances of forcing a fold are low, particularly for non-nut draws that do not benefit from pot building.
So, if we are in position with a vulnerable When holding a made hand on a board with potential draws, betting usually proves to be the optimal choice. Allowing our opponent to receive a free card tends to favor them more than us since vulnerable made hands often do not improve on later streets.
See Also
Range , Draw , Equity , Protection , Check , Raise , Check-raise