Blocking Bets in Poker
In poker, a blocking bet is a defensive bet made by a player with a marginal hand that is intended to keep their opponent from making an even larger bet. Blocking bets are used often when a player thinks there is a reasonable chance he might have the best hand, and that if he bets he will not get reraised. Blocking bets are employed usually by an opponent who is out of position, and does not want his opponent who comes later in the round of betting to have the chance to represent a monster.
Often checking is such a sign of weakness that it can allow the opponent to win the poker pot on aggression alone, so players will bet out an amount they are willing to lose if called, in an attempt to hopefully just show their poker hand down.
Blocking bets are often most effective when they appear to the opponent to be a ‘value bet,’ or a situation where the opponent is betting so little that it seems like they want to be called. This kind of defensive bet can be scary to the opponent and make give them second thoughts from trying to steal or reraise without a very large hand.
