Pot control
Not every good hand should bet. A medium-strength hand is often best now and rarely best when a lot of money goes in.
Which hands
Second pair, top pair with a weak kicker, or an overpair on a board that favours your opponent. These hands beat bluffs and weaker pairs, and lose to the hands that would raise or call three streets.
Why checking wins more
When you bet such a hand, worse hands mostly fold and better hands mostly continue. Checking keeps the worse hands in, lets them bluff, and gets you to showdown for less.
The stack-to-pot ratio tells you how much it matters. With deep stacks behind, one pair is not a hand to build a big pot with.
What the check costs
A free card. On a dry board that is cheap, because few cards change who is ahead. On a board with flush and straight draws it is expensive, and a bet for protection is often better than a check.
Work it out
Terms in this guide
Practise it
Reading is the easy part. Play the hand of the day, or deal ten hands in the trainer and see which of these decisions cost you the most.