Getting a Free Card in No Limit Hold'em

The free card in no-limit Holdem describes the situation where you get to see the turn or river without putting any more chips into the pot. A free card can help you make a winning hand and so take the pot – so playing in such a way as to get more free cards will show a profit over time. It's a huge part of no limit Hold'em strategy.

This article looks at the circumstances in which it is possible to adjust your play to get a free card, both when you have raised pre-flop and when you have called the raise of an opponent.

Position

We will start by looking at the critical factor in getting a free card – position. We will then look at the circumstances in which you would take a free card and those where you might choose to bet as a semi-bluff instead. Finally we will look at those circumstances in which you might give a free card to an opponent.

When you are first to act after the flop you cannot take a free card. Since your opponent(s) will act after you it is up to them whether to bet after you have checked, or whether to also check allowing another community card to appear. From last position this decision is yours, how you play will depend on your hand, the texture of the flop and the tendencies of your opponents.

There are two different scenarios to consider from before the flop when deciding whether to take a free card. The first is when you raise before the flop and were called and the second is when you called a raise pre-flop and your opponent now checks to you.

Imagine that you flop a flush draw in both situations. You raise and your opponent checks to you after the flop – depending on the opponent this may show weakness or be a ‘tricky’ play looking to check raise. Here you took the lead pre-flop and have a chance of taking the pot immediately with a continuation bet.

The Turn

The advantage of betting is that if you are called your opponent will probably check to you again on the river – allowing you to take a free card at that point. The disadvantage is that a check-raise may force you to fold your hand when seeing a free card would have made you the winner.

In the scenario where you were the caller pre-flop and have the same flush draw the benefits of checking for a free card are greater. An opponent who raised before the flop and then checks a flop with an obvious draw may be slow-playing a big hand. If your opponent missed the flop then taking the free card here has the added advantage that you may pair one of your flush cards – ending up the winner by accident.

Giving a Free Card

Giving a free card to an opponent can be a costly mistake. When there are draws on the flop you should bet to charge your opponent for the next card. Even when your opponent does not have the flush draw (for example) they may use the turn as a ‘scare card’ if the draw could have been made and bet you out of the hand. Only give free cards when you flop an absolute monster such as a full house – here you would very much like an opponent to catch up in the hand.

To summarize, the ability to take a free card depends on being in last position after the flop, from first position you can only offer your opponent a free card. Whether you took the lead in the betting pre-flop is an important aspect of your free-card strategy. The tendencies of your opponents and texture of the flop also need to be factored in.

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