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The Free Card Method     By: TMoney   tmoney@pockettwos.com

       This poker strategy is one that is very easy to execute and is one that will save a lot of you money in the long run.  The ability to execute the free card method highlights the importance of position and deception in poker.  When you have position on someone, you have a distinct advantage of seeing them act first.  From this, you are able to make moves that give you monetary advantages for the remainder of the hand.  The free card method can be used any time you are drawing to a hand and have position on your opponent.  These draws can be anything from flush or straight draws, to two pair or trip draws.   

         Consider you have just flopped 4 to a flush in a 10 / 20 limit poker game with one or two opponents whom you have position on.  Most likely one of them will bet at the pot.  Usually the normal amateur poker player will call the 10 dollar bet and see the turn.  If they miss the turn, he or she will undoubtedly call the ensuing 20 dollar bet, not thinking about pot odds at all; even if they make the flush on the turn, the players bet will easily give away his hand.  What the free card method says is when the person bets ten on the flop, you make a raise to 20, which they will most likely call, putting you on a high pair.  If they fold, you win the pot anyhow.  However, the beauty of the free card method is on the turn.  If you hit the flush, your hand is perfectly disguised and you can try to raise the opponent again on the turn if they bet, or you can just call and raise on the river.  Consider now that you miss the flush on the turn.  Now your opponent will check to you 9 times out of 10 because of your raise on the flop.  You follow by checking, and you get to see the river for free!  So in all, you are raising an extra $10 on the flop to save yourself having to call $20 on the turn.  And as you only convert flush draws under 50 % of the time, you will save yourself 10 dollars every time you miss.