Maybe you have noticed a population tendency where people react to it a certain way, maybe it's always just terrible. I personally don't ever do it but I'm curious if people have found succes with it.

If i call a raise OOP, i check 100%, but i dont "check dark", seems to just induce cbets.

UTG raises 12, Hero UTG1 raises KK to 35, V OTB (600 eff) raises to 100, only Hero flats

Flop (212): KQ3r
Check, V bets 150, Hero calls

And checks in the dark.....

This, I check nearly all my hands even as the preflop aggressor, but "checking dark" is just a bad play, there are always a few possible scenarios where you'd want to lead out.

Perfect example above with trip kings. Villain is almost committed now to being pot committed. It's a trap.. no? If he does find a check back, what do you do on river?


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I do to screw around in multi way pots when I'm in the blinds and called a raise. Also a cheap way to have fun and show the fish you're not just a jackass nit reg.

^100% agree with this, any of the tendancies, or stupid little things that the fish are enjoying I will get involved with,
As an example:
Fishy table late at night, people are enjoying the game and generally not to serious unless the pots get big. Everyone is pretty deep by this stage 300+bb
1-2 utg makes it 4, lol commenting how he missed the double straddle.....5 callers, hero is in the sb and announces raise blind and makes it 6..... Everyone has a lol call....hero checks in the dark.....

There is no question this is just plain awful play, but it keeps the game fun and silly, it glosses over hero's usual aggro nit-reg image and makes it so much more likely the fish will pay hero off later when he finds aa...etc

I say this all the time, but don't be the guy that sits on his phone, refuses to straddle and raises one hand every 2orbits..... That guy gets no action, the table hates him, and he is bored out of his mind.....
Remember it's a game, if the game is fun the fish will pay more to play.....

I've seen regs do it and even argue for checking dark. They think they are being smart and say things like "It gives me position because I get to see what the other player does first and throws them off." Personally I never do it and prefer to have more information before making my decision to check.

This is me, never staddle/refuse to straddle (which is blind raise in my casino) people tell me I play very tight, or very solid, still get action and still get paid, thinking that the fish care if your tight or not is lol, they came to play they don't care what your doing.

In saying this I am active in table talk

The answer to your actual question is no. You can never "exploitatively" check in the dark. It doesn't mean that you can't or shouldn't do it. But you are always giving something up when you do it with no immediate return.

You can exploitatively check dark against players who check too much in general (and are otherwise weak players)

Sometimes knowing that you checked before seeing the turn will be perceived as friendly or at least non-threatening (you aren't trying to bluff them immediately for instance) - it can also sometimes lead opponents to believe hero is planning on calling most turn cards and read your range incorrectly

Actually, you could imo. If someone is cbetting 100% or betting 100% when checked to, you can exploit his over-aggressiveness by checking dark I think.

I think the operative word is, "in the dark." You have to explain why doing it in the dark gives you an advantage over just checking.

I guess what I meant by doing it exploitatively is if it predictably induces a certain type of action or inaction by your opponent or if it causes them to perceive your range to be different in a predictable way. I'm guessing it's your opinion that it does not do so.

Straddle is same for me, regularly get double, and triple straddles also..... You say the fish don't care....they do, of course they do, but the ones that you lose the most value from with the nitty play, are the aggro gamble regs....they notice and they atop donating pretty quickly when they pin you as a nit..... The thing is they just don't spot nitty Ness that we'll if your involved in the 'fun and games' at the table....

I love to see the check dark, it turns almost any player transparent....with each style meaning something different. If a solid player does this it's just a regular check to me, but since solid players should never give up an edge unless they are getting something back, it gives me an edge into their mindset. Yes you want the fish to like you, but just work on your personality a bit; dress/act/talk/laugh like them but don't play like them.

The only thing I have started to do if it's a fun loose game is the button straddle that has begun to pop up here in Las Vegas. That's just because I know I can exploit position better than any of them and forcing the blinds to act first preflop is nice....it also reduces your nit style a bit. But I only do it because I feel like I get greater edge in return for what I'm giving up. Plus it forces the 1-2 game into a $5 min which reduces the Stack Pot ratio making many of their calling hands even bigger errors since they don't have the implied odds. Fwiw...I never utg straddle, without position you give up too much...