Poker Glossary
Poker glossary

Back-raise

A back-raise is a re-raise from a player who first called.

The simple explanation

A back-raise is a re-raise by a player who first called. The sequence is: you call a bet, another player raises behind you, and when the action comes back to you, you raise again. That last raise is the back-raise. In some places it is written backraise.

A closer look

A back-raise often shows more strength than a normal raise because the player held back at first. It can trap aggressive opponents or build a pot with a very strong hand. The risk is that the player who raised first may fold, which wins only a small pot. Back-raises are common in limit games, where each raise has a fixed size.

A practical example

A player calls a bet. An opponent raises. The first player raises again; this is a back-raise.

Full explanation

A back-raise is a re-raise from a player who first called.

A back-raise is a reraise from a player who originally called.

The sequence is call, raise by another player, re-raise by the first player.

It is the opposite of an immediate raise: the player waits to see what the others do.

Related terms are backraise and back-shove.

Alternative spelling: backraise, back raise

A backraise

No-limit Hold’em · Blinds 1/2 chips · No rake

Read the example transcript

Player A has the button (BTN). Player B posts the 1-chip small blind (SB). Player C posts the 2-chip big blind (BB).

  1. Preflop · Pot: 3 chips

    The blinds are 1 and 2 chips.

    • Player A BTN King of spades (Ks)King of hearts (Kh) · Stack 200 · In this round 0
    • Player B SB Ace of clubs (Ac)8 of clubs (8c) · Stack 199 · In this round 1
    • Player C BB 9 of hearts (9h)9 of diamonds (9d) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
  2. Preflop · Pot: 9 chips

    Player A raises to 6 before the flop.

    • Player A BTN King of spades (Ks)King of hearts (Kh) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
    • Player B SB Ace of clubs (Ac)8 of clubs (8c) · Stack 199 · In this round 1
    • Player C BB 9 of hearts (9h)9 of diamonds (9d) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
  3. Preflop · Pot: 14 chips

    Player B calls 5 more.

    • Player A BTN King of spades (Ks)King of hearts (Kh) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
    • Player B SB Ace of clubs (Ac)8 of clubs (8c) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
    • Player C BB 9 of hearts (9h)9 of diamonds (9d) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
  4. Preflop · Pot: 18 chips

    Player C calls 4 more. Each player has put in 6 chips.

    • Player A BTN King of spades (Ks)King of hearts (Kh) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
    • Player B SB Ace of clubs (Ac)8 of clubs (8c) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
    • Player C BB 9 of hearts (9h)9 of diamonds (9d) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
  5. Flop · Pot: 18 chips

    The flop is dealt. The small blind acts first after the flop.

    Board: 9 of clubs (9c)5 of spades (5s)2 of diamonds (2d)

    • Player A BTN King of spades (Ks)King of hearts (Kh) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
    • Player B SB Ace of clubs (Ac)8 of clubs (8c) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
    • Player C BB 9 of hearts (9h)9 of diamonds (9d) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
  6. Flop · Pot: 24 chips

    Player B bets 6.

    Board: 9 of clubs (9c)5 of spades (5s)2 of diamonds (2d)

    • Player A BTN King of spades (Ks)King of hearts (Kh) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
    • Player B SB Ace of clubs (Ac)8 of clubs (8c) · Stack 188 · In this round 6
    • Player C BB 9 of hearts (9h)9 of diamonds (9d) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
  7. Flop · Pot: 30 chips

    Player C calls the 6-chip bet.

    Board: 9 of clubs (9c)5 of spades (5s)2 of diamonds (2d)

    • Player A BTN King of spades (Ks)King of hearts (Kh) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
    • Player B SB Ace of clubs (Ac)8 of clubs (8c) · Stack 188 · In this round 6
    • Player C BB 9 of hearts (9h)9 of diamonds (9d) · Stack 188 · In this round 6
  8. Flop · Pot: 50 chips

    Player A raises to 20.

    Board: 9 of clubs (9c)5 of spades (5s)2 of diamonds (2d)

    • Player A BTN King of spades (Ks)King of hearts (Kh) · Stack 174 · In this round 20
    • Player B SB Ace of clubs (Ac)8 of clubs (8c) · Stack 188 · In this round 6
    • Player C BB 9 of hearts (9h)9 of diamonds (9d) · Stack 188 · In this round 6
  9. Flop · Pot: 50 chips

    Player B folds.

    Board: 9 of clubs (9c)5 of spades (5s)2 of diamonds (2d)

    • Player A BTN King of spades (Ks)King of hearts (Kh) · Stack 174 · In this round 20
    • Player B SB Ace of clubs (Ac)8 of clubs (8c) · Stack 188 · In this round 6 · Folded
    • Player C BB 9 of hearts (9h)9 of diamonds (9d) · Stack 188 · In this round 6
  10. Flop · Pot: 98 chips

    Player C called earlier and now raises to 54. A raise by a player who first called is a backraise.

    Board: 9 of clubs (9c)5 of spades (5s)2 of diamonds (2d)

    • Player A BTN King of spades (Ks)King of hearts (Kh) · Stack 174 · In this round 20
    • Player B SB Ace of clubs (Ac)8 of clubs (8c) · Stack 188 · In this round 6 · Folded
    • Player C BB 9 of hearts (9h)9 of diamonds (9d) · Stack 140 · In this round 54

Cards are shown for learning; totals are displayed before pot collection.

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