Last time we discussed calling as a strategy. While winning at poker does require aggression, and betting and raising are key to aggressive play, successful players always have a wide variety of tools at their disposal. If you rely solely on hyper-aggressive play, this could lead to money being lost unnecessarily. Unmitigated aggression can mark a player out as a one-trick pony who is easily countered by any opponent astute enough to observe him closely. Tempering your tendency to lean too heavily on betting and raising by calling every now and then provides a good tactical balance to aggressive play.

Although checking has many of the same attributes as calling, the difference comes in one’s position in the betting order.