Raising for a free card is a strategy used by a late position player on the Flop to show strength when he is on a draw. (To EDITOR: please put this in a footnote - The assumption in this book is that the bet doubles on the Turn. In games where the bet on the Turn remains the same, the strategy of raising for a free card is not applicable.) When the strategy works, the early position player(s) will check to the late position player on the Turn. Then the late position player can choose to bet if he has made his draw or check if he has not, thereby gaining a free card (he may choose to bet again if he has not made his draw, but that bet on the Turn would be considered a semi-bluff). There is also the added value of the possibility, albeit usually small, that early position player(s) will fold to a raise on the Flop.

Here is an example of raising for a free card on the Flop with a flush draw.

Your hand: 4♦3♦

Your opponent’s hand: T♥9♥

Flop: K♦9♦5♣

There are only two players left on the Flop. Your opponent acts first and he bets with his middle pair of 9's. You raise with a diamond flush draw and your opponent calls. You have 9 outs to make a flush.

Turn: 8♠

Your opponent checks because he is worried his middle pair is not the best hand after he got raised on the Flop. You do not have anything yet and are still hoping to catch the flush, so you decide to check also (if your opponent is weak and you think there is a chance he will fold middle pair in this spot, you should bet again as a semi-bluff). The Turn is your "free card" since you do not have to put in a bet on the Turn even though you are behind. By raising on the Flop, you used a small bet to convince your opponent to check on the Turn. If your opponent had bet on the Turn, it would have forced you to put in a big bet to see if you can catch a flush on the River. Not having to put in a bet on the Turn is helpful if the flush does not come. If the flush does come on the Turn, you can bet after your opponent checks.

If there is a chance your opponent will fold, then there is added value in raising for a free card. But if your opponent will not fold on the Flop when you raise, then raising for a free card does not change the probability of you winning the hand. It just changes the amount that you win or lose. Assuming your free card raising strategy goes as planned and your opponent does not fold (although it would be nice if he did), you will win more (one small bet) if a flush card comes on the