Tip # 28 of 52, With most of the cards out, and the bet size doubled, you frequently fold on the turn.

In hold'em, you use five of seven cards to make the best possible poker hand. By the time you have seen the turn card, you know six of those seven cards, so you have a good idea of how the hand is shaping up. This is also the point at which the stakes double. As a result, the turn is not the time to chase, because you have only one card left, and it has become much more expensive to remain in the hand.

Therefore, you should fold on the turn unless one of the following three conditions is met:

• You are holding the probable best hand. If this is the case, you should usually raise if another player bets, or bet if no one has bet yet.
• You are drawing to the best hand. As always, you need to weigh the pot odds to determine if your continued involvement in the pot is justified. Generally, you are getting the right price to draw to a flush or open-ended straight. Also, if another player has obviously made a flush or straight, you can probably continue with a set (as you have 10 cards to improve). However, hands such as inside straight draws (four outs) or two pair when someone has a flush (four outs) should be folded, unless the pot offers appropriate odds to stay in the hand. In very large pots, you might call a bet with middle pair if you are convinced that hitting either the pair or your kicker will be enough of an improvement to win the pot. You have five outs in this case, and are at times getting enough of an overlay from the pot to make a call the correct play.
• You have been given a free card (that is, no one has bet on this round).

Obviously, you are happy when everyone checks on the turn if you have a longshot draw such as an inside straight possibility or a pocket pair that needs to hit a set to win. Occasionally this free card allows you to win a large pot that you shouldn't be entitled to. The lesson here is that when you are on the flip side of things, Don't give your opponents "free" chances to outdraw you.