An Important Reason to Refrain From Betting

If everyone else was drawing at straights and flushes, and everyone else missed, Andy's bet won't be called; he'll win the pot, but his bet won't win him any more money. But if someone makes a straight or flush, they'll probably raise. Once all the cards have been dealt out, holding a good hand isn't, by itself, a good enough reason to bet. The bet has to have a chance to win if someone else calls.

This is a fairly advanced strategic concept that even experienced players frequently forget. If someone else bets, Andy can always call. By betting, he risks having to call several additional bets if someone raises. His bet isn't terrible, because it is certainly possible (even likely) that someone would call with two pair, but given all the strength the other players have shown, a check would have been better.

Bob briefly considers calling, to suck the others in, but decides that since everyone called his raise last time, they might do it again. So he makes the correct decision to raise.

Chuck, although disgusted by his failure to make his straight, finally comes to his senses, and throws his hand away. There are players who would call with a pair of Tens in this spot, at least in low limit poker, and such players are the source of much of your potential profit. Chuck would have saved a lot of money if he hadn't played a weak hand like 4-5-6 in the first place. At least he got a bit lucky. He didn't make a straight on the end. If he had, he would have lost much more money.

Greg pauses briefly. Certainly he is going to call, but he considers raising. He'd been worried about Chuck having a flush, but Chuck has folded. He figures Andy has three Sevens, or maybe two pair. He can't figure out Bob at all. His board looks weak: 9h Ah Qc 3s. Maybe Bob is just bluffing. He tries to remember if Bob bet aggressively early in the hand, but can't. If he had remembered Bob's early aggression, he might just call. Instead, he raises.

Andy starts to get a sinking feeling. One raise, maybe he could beat, but two raises, it seems almost certain that someone has made a big hand. But Andy can't bring himself to throw away a good hand like three Sevens. He calls.

Bob decides that he is the greatest seven stud player for miles around, and raises again. Greg realizes there is no more point in raising. His straight might be the best hand, or might not, but he certainly can't raise again. He calls. (In most casinos, Greg would not have had to think about a fourth raise, because most casinos limit raises to three per round. But some do allow four).