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Poker Terms

Big Blind

Check Dark

Dealer Button

Flop

Flop The Nuts

Hole Cards

Maniac Player

Poker App’s

Poker Cave

Runt

Slow Roll

Small Blind

Suited Connectors

Under The Gun

Poker Terms - To Check In The Dark

The term check dark or to check in the dark is used in poker to describe when a player checks before the next cards or card have been dealt. For example, once all the betting action has taken place preflop and the flop is about to be dealt, the player who is due to act first on the flop may declare that they check before its dealt. At first this may seem to be putting them self at an unnecessary disadvantage as they are making a decision before they have as much information as they would normally (after all they may like the flop and want to bet). However some players (most notably Phil Hellmuth Jr) do this because it gives their opponent no clue as to whether they loved the flop or hated it, almost switching around the disadvantage of acting first to the player who was in position. Players often make this play when they have marginal hands that they don’t feel too confident about, checking in the dark looks less weak than checking after seeing the flop. Also the common response to a check dark play is to also check (check behind) and go straight to the next street. This also creates the effect of keeping the pot small which is another good thing if you have a marginal or weak holding and aren't sure where exactly you are in the hand.