“You Will Show Your Poker Greatness By The Hands You Fold, Not The Hands You Play”. - Dan Reed
Poker is all about making wise decisions considering the game scenarios. The ones who feel that betting is what keeps them going have not understood the game well. Betting is undoubtedly an indispensable part of poker, but it does not mean that only betting can help you become a great poker player. However, there are many scenarios where folding your hand is considered to be a wise decision, which can save your poker money from getting distributed to other players.
So, the point here is that always going towards taking any of these betting actions like betting, raising, calling may not prove to be profitable for you in the end. It is observed that betting is profitable mostly when you are holding a good hand on the table and you think you have the chance to make it to the pot. Whereas, on the other hand, if you are not holding a strong hand, and you think that your cards are not good enough to stay in the game, then folding your cards or hand is the right decision at that time. But folding too often may also prove to be a bad poker etiquette. So, knowing when to fold is necessary to become a pro poker player.
Folding in poker or folding the cards in poker refers to one of the poker actions that a player may take when not holding a hand good enough to continue playing the game. The act of folding refers to turning the cards back to face-down position as dealt by the dealer on the table. This action is taken by a player when he/she thinks that his/her cards are not strong enough to sustain the competition against the opponents, and for cutting his/her losses in the game.
As a newbie, you might not anticipate your opponents’ strategy and assess your cards’ strength, resulting in folding the cards too often. This is bad etiquette in the world of poker. You must understand when to fold your hand in online poker games. Here are some tips that will help you cut your losses by taking an exit (folding the poker cards) from the game at the right time.
Pre-Flop is the first round in poker where the two hole cards are dealt to you. On this round, you are excited to play with your starting hands, but if you are not lucky enough to get at least a good hand, then you should fold your hand as playing other hands with those weaker cards may prove to be an unprofitable deal. Play the starting hands if you have premium or good cards with you on the pre-flop round.
By the post-flop rounds, you are completely into the game and must understand the pros and cons of sitting and playing further hands. At this stage of the game, you make calculations that will help you figure out the range of the hands that can be continued to play based on the size of the bets placed by your opponents. With the help of these calculations, you can easily decide whether to continue playing or fold the cards. Hoping to make a win with a pair of top-cards is good, but sometimes, even the top-pair does not help, then instead of losing further money in the game, you should fold.
Folding is considered to be a defensive strategy in poker, but can also be used as an aggressive play strategy against your opponents. Wondering how? Here is the answer. If you are playing aggressively from the beginning against your opponents, you try to make a perception in their mind that you are holding a very strong hand which may force your opponents to feel under pressure, and as a result, they fold. This strategy is effective yet risky as in case any of your opponents were holding a strong hand, then he would bet continuously and at the showdown, you might get knocked out. So, be very cautious while being aggressive in poker.
Taking the decision of folding without assessing the strength of your opponents is not a good play. Before you consider yourself weak at the table, calculate the size of your bet in comparison to the pot and the size of the bets placed by your opponents in comparison to you. These calculations will save you from playing further hands at the table and losing any money after that.
The betting range of your opponents says a lot about their hands. If your opponents are betting high, then their hands must be good and if they are not betting enough, then they may have weak hands. So, always consider the betting range of your opponents and compare it against yours, by this, you will come to know when is the right time to fold in poker.
Your opponents’ gaming style tells a lot about the hands they hold, so always evaluate their style of playing poker and make your decisions wisely, considering all the factors.
Understanding the game format and making wise decisions can help you become a smart poker player. Knowing when to fold is really important while playing poker, as it cuts down your losses and makes you a mature poker player. AceHigh Poker believes in enhancing your game, and thus it has brought to you the best poker guide which is power-packed with amazing poker tips and strategies to help you flourish in the game. To know more about the game, just click on the 'Play Now' button and start playing right now!