Throwing a Strong Block

Football season is in full swing (well, as I am writing this it is – if it is late spring as you, yourself, are reading this, then just bear with me) and anyone who follows the game knows the importance of an offensive line to a team’s offense: the linemen protect the quarterback, taking on charging defenders to keep him from getting pummeled, and they also open holes for the primary running back, helping him get to the end zone. In poker, there is a betting strategy that plays a similar role to that of the offensive line: the blocking bet. 

A blocking bet is a bet made at some point after the flop – usually on the turn or river – that is intended to allow the bettor to see the next card (or reach showdown if it is on the river) as cheaply as possible. While it is generally considered more of a defensive move, a blocking bet can also help your “offense” and actually win you the pot. 

There are two fundamental qualities of a blocking bet that make it unique from other types of bets: it must be small relative to the pot and it must be made out of position. Let’s look at a basic example.

Tom is in middle position in a full-ring No Limit Texas Hold’em game. A couple of early players limp in pre-flop for $2, Tom calls holding 6-7 offsuit, and the player on the button raises to $10. The previous limpers and blinds fold and Tom calls, pitting him heads-up against the button. The flop comes 5-8-Q rainbow, giving Tom an open-ended straight draw. Tom is first to act and checks. The button bets $27, the size of the pot, and Tom calls, figuring he is behind, hoping to hit his draw. The pot is now $81. 

The turn is a 2. With 8 outs, Tom still has a chance to his draw on the river and he would like to see the next card for as few chips as possible. He doesn’t think he will be able to, however, if he check-calls again it is likely that his opponent will bet the pot, or close to it, once more. If he takes the initiative and makes a big bet here to try to scare his opponent, he runs the risk of getting raised, wasting valuable chips.  So, he makes a blocking bet of $30. 

There are three things that can happen now:

1. The button can fold. Unlikely, but if he was bluffing, he very well might do it.
2. The button can call.
3. The button can raise.

Obviously, a fold would be great, but a call is really what Tom is looking for here, since he doesn’t expect a fold. By calling, the button is giving Tom a chance to see the river for much less than he probably would have had he check-called like in the previous betting round. A raise would make Tom let go of his hand, but he still would have lost less money than if he would have made a larger, more “standard” bet and gotten raised, anyway. 

Notice that Tom is out of position. By acting first, he goes on the offensive and makes his opponent react to him. A player who starts the hand as the aggressor is often taken aback by an unexpected bet from his opponent and very well might slow down. Also notice that the bet is smaller than one might expect. It is not so tiny that it is an automatic call, but it is also not large enough to hurt too much should Tom need to fold.

Blocking bets can also be made after the river card is dealt. Let’s pretend Tom check-called a $60 bet on the turn. Not “cheap,” but not as bad as a full pot-sized bet. Say the river in the above hand turns out to be a 7 (no flush possible), which doesn’t complete his straight draw, but does give Tom a pair of 7’s. He may feel that there is a chance that he is actually winning and that his opponent has something like A-K, or that even if he’s losing, his opponent doesn’t have a hand that he’s extremely confident about, maybe 9-9. He doesn’t feel confident enough to call a big bet here, though, so he doesn’t want the other player to dictate the action, especially since that player has been the aggressor on each street. So, out comes a blocking bet.  With $201 in the pot, Tom might go with $90 here. 

Now, unlike on the turn, if the player on the button doesn’t have a great hand, there’s a good chance Tom’s blocking bet will induce a fold. But even if it doesn’t, it still accomplishes the defensive purpose it would have on the turn by preventing Tom from losing as much money as he might have if he checked and then saw the other player bet hard or raise.

The problem with a blocking bet is that it fits into a very narrow window. You must be out of position, the bet must be relatively small, and your hand will not be strong, very often a drawing hand. As such, if it is used too much, it can become very easy for a quality opponent to detect. The most difficult part for an opponent to figure out is what kind of hand you have, but a skilled player will likely look to see if the board is draw-friendly. If it is and the other prerequisites for a blocking bet are there, the alarm may sound. And whenever it’s detected, it is very easy to combat – just raise, raise, raise. By definition, a player who makes a blocking bet does not want to pay a lot to see the next card and thus will not call a raise. 

When used judiciously, a blocking bet can be an effective tool, allowing you to reach showdowns cheaply and even win pots that you may have normally been forced out of by an opponent showing aggression. Blocking bets are best used against unobservant players who tend to call a lot, as they will typically just let you guide the action. And as you perfect the use of this weapon, you will also become more adept at detecting when your opponent is trying to do the same thing to you.