The Benefits of Not Raising

No Limit Texas Holdem players are always looking for places to raise. This is not a bad thing; many successful Texas Holdem poker players have made their money by being aggressive and always putting the pressure on other players. The invention of online poker rooms has made Texas Holdem a very popular game, and raising is easier than ever before. Texas Holdem players are reinventing their poker strategies to include the benefits of raising at every possible place.

Texas Holdem poker players, however, sometimes raise a little too much. There are situations, especially in No-Limit Texas Holdem tournaments, in which raising may be a mistake. Many Texas Holdem players pick up pocket queens and automatically start figuring out how much they are going to raise. In a Limit Texas Holdem game, especially a lower limit game, this is entirely correct, almost regardless of your position.

However, in an online Texas Holdem tournament, especially No-Limit tournaments, this may be a mistake, especially if you are sitting in middle position. This may be an even bigger mistake if you are in possession of an average stack of chips – not short (then it may be best just to raise all-in) and not large (in which case a substantial raise may be in order).

Let’s say it’s early in an online No-Limit Texas Holdem tournament and you have about $750 of your original $1000 in tournament chips. The blinds are $15-30 and you pick up pocket queens in middle position. One person before you calls, and there are three left to act before you, not including the blinds. If you raise and are called, it is likely going to be by someone behind you with better position, as well as the knowledge that you already have a good hand –which means they are likely to be packing A-x or K-x; likely to be suited.

If you simply call, you are still likely to get some callers, and perhaps the same amount of money in the pot as if you had raised. In this way, you are able to see if the flop has one of your death cards in it – such as an ace, king, or perhaps all suited, and can re-evaluate the hand from here. A good Texas Holdem tournament player will strongly consider releasing their queens here – bad position, over cards, very few outs (you are 12-1 to make your set, and it may not be good even if you do). If the flop hits you, you still have a great chance of making some money, but this way, you haven’t committed yourself to the pot.