Pot Control

When to check back and keep the pot small to protect your hand.

Pot control means deliberately keeping the pot small with medium-strength hands — hands that are good enough to call with but not strong enough to build a big pot.

The classic example: you raise preflop with A♥J♦, get called by the BB. Flop comes J♠8♦3♣. You have top pair, top kicker. You c-bet, get called. Turn is 9♥. Now if you bet and get raised, you're in trouble. Checking back controls the pot and keeps the price small on the river.

Check-back situations on the turn

•Top pair on a board that has turned a possible two-pair or set for your opponent

•Second pair on a card that completes a draw (flush or straight arrives)

•Overpair on a connected board when villain has called twice and shows strength

•Any time the pot is already large relative to remaining stacks

The golden question: "If I bet and get called, am I happy with the pot size on the next street?" If not — check back.

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