The turn in poker is the round in which the fourth community card is revealed. At this point, many players who have checked on the flop discard without even checking if they have a chance to win the hand. Obviously, if you discard you will never know how far you would have gotten.
We are at a point in the game where staying in and trying to win the hand is more advisable than folding. You may not get the hand, but you can still try.
What is the turn in poker? Basic definition
Let’s start with the formal. The rounds of a poker game are divided into preflop, flop, turn and river. In the turn, therefore, many things are already clear, but it is a critical point because those who have played to the cluelessness will have much to gain here and, if they have done well, they will probably catch the rest of the players off guard. That is why it is so important to work on an effective and well worked poker strategy: it is from the turn where this strategic work can begin to bear fruit.
If we look for the most conservative tactics in Texas Hold’em poker, we would surely find this one among the first: check on the turn after a continuation bet, playing IP and having a community blank. A blank is a totally unimportant card, which is of absolutely no use to us. You can choose to play more aggressively here, but checking after a preflop raise and a c-bet is very conservative. Be careful, because, even if you are saving the furniture here, others can detect your distress.
Strategies with position (IP) on the turn
One of the best strategies in Texas Hold’em poker playing with position is to manipulate the pot. But this has a downside, and that is that after a continuation bet, if we check on the turn we will be seen as weak. This is what we mentioned a few lines above: a check after a preflop raise can be perceived as indecision or withdrawal out of fear, and this can play against you.
The best poker strategies on the turn playing with position are those that give continuity to those raises. Continuing to bet on the turn gives that consistency we need to avoid being perceived as weak, fearful or indecisive players.
Strategies without position (OOP) on the turn
Let’s assume that playing without position on the turn is bad. If we find ourselves in this situation we have a problem, because we will be sold. When an unimportant card falls on the turn, and we are playing with no position and we have no hand, the best thing to do is to check on the turn. But that does not save us from what others will perceive about us. It is the most conservative thing to do, yes, but it will compromise us a lot.
Keep in mind that on the turn there are a total of 4 community cards. These cards that are on the table are not going to be of any use to us. We have absolutely nothing to hit, and nothing to stand up to our opponent. What do we do then? Check and fold is an option. If the villain bets, we fold directly. In this case, giving the hand for lost will be the most advisable.
The question at this point is logical: isn’t it perceived as weakness to let the hand pass? We are talking about the fact that giving the impression that we are weak does not favor us at all. However, we must take into account the circumstances in which we are doing it.
Is it a hand that we have lost? Although in both cases our play may be perceived as that of a weak player, in reality we are doing nothing more than playing our cards to the best of our ability. Sometimes, we will not have at our disposal the villain’s data and the way he plays his hands, and this plays against our statistics.
Keep in mind that in cash games, it is much more rewarding in the long run not to make mistakes. If you are one of those who ventures to play every pot without guarantees or with less than the advisable ones, here you have the chance of losing. The positions in poker are important, even more in cash games, and if you play OOP you are going to have it very complicated.
Maybe you are an excellent Texas Hold’em player, but you are not used to cash games. In tournaments the dynamic is very different and a mistake can be compensated if it has not been very serious, but in real money games if you make a mistake you are going to pay dearly.
Therefore, keep this in mind: in a cash game, betting on the turn after having made a continuation bet is synonymous with strength. Whenever you can do it, and when your cards allow it, you should go for a second c-bet. The best time to do this is when the turn card does not favor the villain, or when it is not within the usual range of cards we are dealing.
If you are considering bluffing, keep in mind that usually the best cards to bluff are always the highest cards and the ones that seem to be the most disconnected from the table. Bluffs or semi-bluffs are especially effective against players who see recurring c-bets. Bluffing against any other type of player is taking too much risk.
Positions at the poker table are crucial in cash games. The turn is especially critical with this, because if you’re not in position you’re going to have a really bad time. Even so, we advise you to keep practicing, because knowing how to play Texas Hold’em poker in cash game mode will help you to discover another side of poker that, if you manage to master it, can make you win important cash prizes.
Want to know everything about a good Texas Hold’em strategy? Then you can’t miss these articles: