Turn and River Play

When you reach the turn in Limit Hold’em, it’s decision time!

The stakes have doubled and the price is now one big bet. At this point, if you’re playing in a multi-way pot and you’re still drawing, you’re probably getting the proper odds to continue. But if you’ve already made your hand, this is where you must decide how much you like your hand.

If you think your hand is the best, raise. If you don’t, fold.

There are exceptions, but if you only called when you had draws, and you bet or raised the rest of the time, it would probably pay off.

If the flush draw hits on the turn, and if your opponent is relatively tight, you might want to try a raise here with a straight draw. If they call, you still have outs, but if they only have something like K-Q you might get them to fold.

Don’t try this against multiple players. There’s no point in bluffing in that spot. Just wait for the hands and get paid.

Getting a free showdown

Let’s say you have K♠ 10♠ and the turn comes K♣ 9♠ 7♦ 6♠ and your opponent bets into you. What should you do?
You could fold, but the 6♠ gave you a ton of outs (nine spades and three additional eights). In addition, a 10 might be good and – who knows – maybe your King is good.

Many players will call, and hope to improve their hand before betting. But you should raise straight away.
Unless your opponent has a set or two pair, it’ll be awfully tough for them to raise you back. If the river improves your hand, you bet for value – and if it doesn’t, you check, getting the free showdown. Think about it. If you called the turn, you’d probably end up calling the river when you missed and it would cost you the same two big bets.

When to fold on the turn

This is the street where you must decide whether your hand is good or not. There are times to fold on the turn – and it’s usually when you think you’re drawing dead. The last thing a poker player ever wants to do is put money in the pot drawing dead. So in the following situations you should consider folding on the turn:

You’ve got a draw, but it’s not a draw to the nuts and you’re faced with two big bets.

There is a four flush on the board, you’ve got a straight draw and you’re facing a lot of heat.

After a lot of betting on the flop, the board pairs and you’ve got a flush draw.

If you get check-raised on the turn, a one-pair hand is almost never good. There are exceptions, but most players at this level aren’t sophisticated enough to check-raise bluff.

If you’re not sure you’re drawing live (the card that makes your hand, doesn’t make someone else a better hand).

Protecting your hand

Be wary of the raise on the flop with a draw-heavy board. Your opponent could be trying to buy a free card. If you’re out of position and think you have the best hand, you really should bet. Don’t give them the free card. The check-raise to eliminate the field is a tough play, but if you really think the button will bet, then go for it. If they check behind you, it’s a disaster. Not only have you given the free card, but you’ll also missed a big bet of value.

In position, you’ll bet or raise when the action comes to you. Don’t get tricky now. Make your opponents pay for their draws.

Play on the river

No street is misplayed more often than the river. Any monkey can figure out pre-flop play, but it’s river play that separates the winners from the losers.

If you want to be a winning player, you’ll have to bet for value. In Limit Hold’em it’s imperative. Limit Hold’em is a game where you take small edges. Good players can win about one big bet per hour. If you’re playing $10/$20 and you’re an excellent player, expect to win $20 an hour. If you aren’t betting for value on the river, good luck trying to break even.

Let’s look at an example where you hold A♠ 10♠ in late position. You call a raise from mid-position and see a flop of 10♣ 7♦ 7♥. Your opponent bets, you raise and they call. The turn is a Q♠. Your opponent checks, you bet and they call. The rivers is an 8♦. Your opponent checks. Should you bet? Well, there are so many hands your opponent could have where they might pay you off such as 10-9, J-10, K-10 and the only hand you have to be afraid of is Q-10. If they had a seven, they probably would have raised you on the turn. Bet.