Free Card

1. A card that costs a player no chips or money to see. For example, if all players in a hand check, then the next card to come out would be considered a "free card."

Popular Uses

He thought he was trapping me by giving me a free card. Unfortunately for him, I hit my gutshot and cleaned him out. -Unknown

You should pay as much as possible for a free card. -Unknown

To Give or Not to Give? That is the Question.

Is there ever a time to let give an opponent free card by not betting or raising when you hit a hand? Sure. While there is usually some risk to simply letting your opponent see another card, there are times when that risk is very low. Such instances include when you hit a monster hand such as a full house or the nut flush, or when you hit a very strong hand, like a set, and there are no realistic draws on the board.

You Should Also Know...

The second quote above may seem like a joke, but it really is half joke, half truth. One strategy that experienced players sometimes employ when on a draw is to raise on the flop or turn. While most people would generally prefer to see free card after free card when on a draw, that usually isn't wish that will come true. So, sometimes a player will raise on one street to try to scare his opponent into checking on the next street, thus giving him a free card. While he is "paying" for this free card, it is likely that he is paying less in an earlier round than he would in a later round.

Related Terms

Check, Flop, Turn, River