Small Bet, Big Return
It sounds counterintuitive, but placing a bet can be a good way to fend off a potential raise before you get to see the next online poker card. I was sitting at a poker table with a 6-7 of Hearts. I was in the big blind and no one raised, so I checked, and the flop came out 5 of Clubs, 8 of Hearts, and King of Spades. There were four other poker players in the pot, and I knew that there was no hope of everybody checking around. One of my opponents had been buying blinds with huge raises all night, and I smelled another attempt coming up. Since I was in an early position, I bet three times the big blind and represented that I had the King. Since I had been playing tight poker all night, my opponents took me at my word and either called or folded. The next card was a four of Clubs, which made my straight and put my opponents in jeopardy. That small bet saved me from facing a raise from an aggressive opponent that would have forced me to fold my hand before that four gave me the nuts. Sometimes a little aggression can end up saving you money.