Playing from out of position can sometimes put you in a difficult spot when you have a drawing or second-best hand. If you check, you might face a big bet from your opponent and end up folding. So, instead of checking, you bet small to induce your opponent to call and see the next street as cheaply as possible. Such small bets on the turn or the river are called blocking bets in poker. Let’s understand this tricky move of making blocking bets in detail.
What is a Blocking Bet in Poker?
A blocking bet (also known as a block bet or a blocker bet) is smaller than an average-sized bet made from out of position, hoping that your opponent will call and not raise. Blocking bet in poker is usually around 1/4 or 1/3 of the pot designed to see the river or the showdown as cheaply as possible.
Blocking bet helps in situations where you are not sure of the strength of your hand. If you check from out of position, you might face a big bet from your opponent and end up folding. So, instead of checking, you make a small bet inducing your opponent to just call and see the next street.
An Example of a Blocking Bet
A common way of making blocking bets is when you are chasing draws. For example, you are out of position with 8♠ 9♠ on a K♠ 2♦ 5♠ A♥ turn. If you check here, you might face a big bet from your opponent, which can give you incorrect pot odds to call. However, if you make a blocking bet, your opponent might call, and you get to see the river as cheaply as possible.
Another example would be when you are not sure if you have the best hand by the river. You can make a block bet to see the showdown as cheaply as possible. For example, you have J♥ 9♥ on a J♠ K♥ 3♣ 10♠ 5♣ river. You have a Jack pair, but you are not sure if you have the best hand as your opponent might be holding a King pair. If you check here, you might face a big bet and might have to fold. So, this is the right spot for you to make a block bet in poker, hoping that your opponent will just call and see a cheap showdown.
Advantages of Blocking Bet in Poker
A blocking bet is a tricky bet that helps you to control the pot and avoid facing a big bet from your opponent. Some of the advantages of blocking bet in poker are as follows:
An Out of Position Weapon
When you are in position and your opponent checks, you can choose to check to see a free card in poker. However, when you are out of position, checking implies weakness, and you allow your opponent to make a bet that could force you to fold. You end up giving your opponent a free pass to show aggression. So, when you are out of position, you can use a blocking bet as a weapon to hold off your opponent’s aggression. When you make a blocking bet, you control the pot and do not allow your opponent to open fire. When you bet, your opponent will believe that you have something. If he is not sure of the strength of his hand, he is most likely to call and see the next street.
Disguise Your Draws
When you have draws on the turn, a check from out of position becomes very obvious. Your opponent can easily read your drawing hand and bet a full pot or more to give you tough pot odds to call. So, when you make a blocking bet, you disguise your hand and represent that you have hit something till the turn. Your opponent will not be able to figure whether you have the top or middle pair or even a set. When you do hit your draw on the river, you can extract more value by disguising your completed draw.
Getting Away Cheaply
When you are unsure if you have the best hand on the turn or the river, a blocking bet can be useful. If you feel that you have the second-best hand, like a middle or bottom pair, you can get away cheaply with a blocking bet. If you check with your second-best hand on the turn or the river, your opponent might bet big, forcing you to fold. So, a small bet helps you to see a cheap turn or showdown. In case your opponent has a worse hand than yours, you still get to win the pot.
Common Mistakes in Making a Block Bet in Poker
You must execute the blocking bet perfectly so that your opponent doesn’t raise. Keep in mind the following common mistakes that players make while making a blocking bet in poker.
Don’t Make a Very Small Bet
Blocking bets in nature are smaller bets to avoid facing a huge bet from your opponent. However, that doesn’t mean that you should bet very small. It will become very obvious that you are making a blocking bet, and your opponent will most likely understand what you are trying to achieve. For example, if you made a 3/4 pot-size bet on the flop, don’t make a blocking bet of 1/4 of the pot or less on the turn. Such a small bet size will make your blocking bet very obvious. Bet a sensible amount so that you don’t face a raise from your opponent.
Have a Balanced Blocking Bet Frequency
If you keep making blocking bets frequently, your opponent will most likely understand your poker strategy and force you to fold with a big raise. Have a balanced frequency that disguises both marginal and monster hands. Players will take your bet seriously and even fold to your smaller bet. Balance your frequency, and you will be unexploitable with your block bets in poker.
Conclusion
A blocking bet is a tricky bet in poker that helps you to see the next street as cheaply as possible. It also helps you to disguise your hand, keeping your opponent guessing. Out of position can be a difficult spot in certain situations when you have draws or the second-best hand. Instead of checking and allowing your opponent to bet, blocking bet empowers you to take the lead and control the pot. Keep in mind your bet sizing and block bet frequency so that you don’t face a raise by your opponent.
