Okay, clicking on buttons is really easy, but the question is to click the right button for each situation. Most players always make the same mistakes and pay money for them. The above is a guide of the usually mistaken buttons.
To check when you should bet: Most part of the times, checking is a mistake in Hold’em poker but the situation where you hold KK and an Ace hits the flop is a classic one. Most people there use to check when they should bet. Only if your opponent had an ace you will be behind, but maybe he has not. If you check he is likely to bet and you must fold then. If you bet and he calls, you know he’s got an ace (unless you are playing against a calling station) and you can check and fold on turn. If you bet and he hasn’t got the ace he will fold most part of the time and you will get the pot.
To call when you should fold: Sometimes you know you are going to lose a hand, but you call because the pot is quite big and you have invested a good amount of money on it. For example you have been drawing for flush on turn and river, but instead of that you take a low pair on the river. The pot is good and your opponent bets half the pot; some players call in this situation “just in the case he was bluffing”. It is a bad move, so that you didn’t get the flush, save the ½ pot for the next time and do not call when you should fold.
To call when you should raise: It is common to call when the right option is to raise. Calling is usually a weak move, but there are some situations where it is just wrong. An example is when you got a flush draw and your opponent bets a small amount on the flop. Calling that to draw for your possible flush is not the right option because you are making a weak move. If you raise instead of calling you get two benefits. First your opponent may fold and you will pocket the pot without having to aim for the flush, and second if your opponent has not a monster hand will call and then check on the turn. This will give you a free card which is much appreciated when drawing for flush.
To fold when you should call: Sometimes there are some situations on the flop where a player is in a good situation to call according to the pot odds, but folds because the amount is too high and doesn’t want to run the risk. If you are afraid to lose your money, do not put it at stakes and go to a lower limit where you can play more comfortably. If you are not ready to play at a determined level, it is easy, go to a lower one and you will play better.
