Limit Holdem: Fourth-Street Concepts
Using proper fourth street tactics will not only give you control of most hands that you are in, but you’ll also begin to learn the art of putting players on certain hands. Fourth street is where a skilled player figures out what hand they’re up against. These concepts help you to begin to think like a grinder, figuring out what your opponents are holding based on the information you force them to give to you.
Most limit players will either exit the hand at this point, or stay to the end, either winning or paying off an opponent. You want to act at the crucial moment in the hand, when an opponent is deciding what they’re going to do. Many of your decisions will be based on the player type, and repeated habits of the player, you’re in the hand with. But that applies to any tactic.
The most important part of fourth street theory is the check raise. Many players that bluff a lot in limit holdem can be forced off hands by showing aggression on fourth street. The check raise is the moment where a player says “I have the best of it”. The bet doubles on fourth street, and it’s when slow playing ends and draws are decided. If you agree with that, they you must agree that the check raise on fourth street is where there’s the most opportunity to mislead your opponents. This is where skilled players represent hands and take stabs at slow action flops.
Fourth street is where the pros look to outplay weaker opponents. Learn your fourth street play and you’ll be in better shape than most players out there.