Check
If no one has yet opened the betting round, a player may check, which is equivalent to calling the current bet of zero. After the cards are dealt in Hold’em the first player after the blinds does not have the option to check because the blinds are forced bets already in the pot. So in a game with $1/$2 blinds, you must call the $2 Big Blind, raise or fold. In games with no “forced bet” or blind you may check the opening round. In Hold’em and Omaha rounds after the flop, turn and river; a player may check or bet. When checking, a player declines making a bet; indicating that he does not choose to open this betting round, but that he wishes to keep his cards and retain the right to call or raise later in the same round if an opponent opens.
Remember in games played with blinds, players may not check on the opening round because they must either match (or raise) the big blind or fold. However, the player with a live big blind who chooses not to exercise his right to raise is said to check his option. Of course, if another player has raised first, the big blind must fold, call the raise or reraise.
If all players check and no one bets, the betting round is over. This is called checking it around. Often players in late position will raise a checked pot sensing that the checks in front of them signal weakness but beware! Players will check to show weakness when they are playing a strong hand; they are setting a trap for the aggressive players behind them.
A common way to signify checking is to tap the table with a fist or an open hand. Again, be careful with your hand signals when it is your turn to act, any action of patting or tapping the table might be considered a check by the dealer.
Another term you might hear at the table is check out. Generally when you check you remain in the hand and will see the next card, unless another player makes a bet. But there are times when a player has a hand so bad that they do not want to continue in the hand even for free. In this case the player simply tosses their hand away and rather than just call this action a fold, it is referred to as checking out.
-This is Beginner’s Poker Blog Post #77
