Gambling terms, explained straight

This term belongs to the trick-taking game Cinch (also called Pedro or Double Pedro), not to poker. In poker, check means to pass the action without betting.

Poker

Check a cinch in poker

To check a cinch means to play a trump high enough to secure a trick containing a valuable scoring card, preventing an opponent from winning it.

Game
Cinch / Double Pedro / Pedro
Scoring card
Pedro (trump 5) worth 5 points; Left Pedro (same-colour 5) also worth 5 points12
Action
Play a trump high enough that the fourth player cannot beat it and take the scoring card12

Key points

  • Used in the American all-fours variant Cinch, not in poker.12
  • The player cinches the trick by covering a high-scoring card with a trump that cannot be overtaken.12
  • The Pedro (trump 5) and Left Pedro are each worth 5 points in Double Pedro.12

Where this term is used

Not the same as

  • Check raise poker — a poker action where a player checks first and then raises later in the same betting round, unrelated to securing a trick
  • Check poker hands — not a standard poker term; poker hands are ranked separately from the act of checking
Poker Check poker Explains the poker action of checking, which means to pass the bet without folding. Poker Poker hands Covers the standard hand rankings used in most poker variants. Poker Omaha poker Describes the rules and gameplay of Omaha hold 'em. Poker Flush poker Defines a flush hand and its value in poker. Poker Quads poker Explains four of a kind (quads) in poker. Poker Fold, call, raise poker meaning These are the three actions a poker player can take after a bet has been made: fold quits the hand

Sources

  1. Pedro (juego de cartas) en.wikipedia.org Provides the definition of checking a cinch and the scoring values in Pedro/Double Pedro.
  2. Pedro - reglas del juego de cartas pagat.com Confirms the game rules, scoring, and the tactic of cinching a trick.

Sources are drawn from regulators, universities and published research, and each one is labelled with what it actually is — a preprint is not called a paper. Bookmaker and affiliate pages are never cited here, because a page that sells betting is not a neutral authority on it.

Written and maintained by Ellis Warrender, writer and maintainer.

Last updated 28 July 2026. Spotted an error? Tell me and it gets fixed and logged on the corrections page.