There are a few important skills in poker, such as, bet, raise, check, and one of them is ‘Fold’. Fold is very important skill required for live poker, as well as online poker. When you start playing poker, you learn all these skills. Some players have mastered the online poker skills. Knowing each skill in depth is essential for any poker player. Let’s focus on this very important aspect of poker – ‘Fold’.
This one’s for all the new poker players – Remember, a good Fold is as good as a win, sometimes better.
What is fold in poker or when to fold in poker? When is a good time to fold in poker? Hold on! We have answers to all your queries. Let’s begin the game of folds in poker.
Having great pocket cards is awesome, but it is important to know when to fold your good hand. In short, folding at right time is the key to success. To say, anyone can fold their cards, be terrible or good. Following are some tips to know when to fold cards at poker.
Making Smart Moves
The professional poker players are really smart at making moves. They skillfully read their opponents and make moves, that too with no hands – that can be deemed as the most strategic approach. Sometimes, poker players rely on short stacks. A strategic game of fold equity can help the poker players to win a pot. And, for winning a pot you need to be really good at reading your opponents’ hands. Don’t make faces if you have a good hand, that’s when you fall into the trap of givjng your opponents an open invitation to know your pocket cards. Do the Math
Now this is what some of you won’t like or be good at—Math. Yeah, not all are good at it. But trust me, calculating or doing math is gonna help you keep track of your game; you can recollect the previous round you played, and play ahead smartly to get good outcome. For example- Keep a math of your chips. If you feel you are losing, then don’t risk your chips; instead play a great hand that you have. Don’t follow your opponents if they are folding. Everyone in the table has come to win at poker. What gives you an edge of advantage over the others is your understanding of maths. A certain calculative speculation can help a player remain emotionally stable at the poker table and focus on the decision of folding. If the pots are high than the odds of the hands, then the experienced poker players will either call the bet or fold the hands. Calculations are indeed important in poker.
Entering the Danger Zone
Danger zone in poker? Are you serious? Yes, absolutely! Playing wrong moves in poker can be dangerous for any poker player. There are some poker moves that ring the warning bell, like check and raises. This warning bell means your opponent is having a good hand or will be raising, and that there is something really big happening. There is a reason that the poker player is paying the odds for a flush or a straight. Understand the reason then act.
So when do I Fold?
If you are playing a limit Hold’em, you have to make certain decisions. First, decide during the pre-flop and second decide on the turn. You probably will be calling a small bet during the flop; therefore, your decision will totally be based on the pot odds. We advise you to call the river since it’s not good to fold a good hand on river. The 2 bets that you have called for turn and river will be equal to your 4 small bets. And that, only 1 bet is made after the pre-flop. Now, to see the turn, you have empowered 3 bets. Therefore, it is wise to fold at turn. This will save you half the money if you would have called to showdown.
Mistakes that Happen
One of the biggest mistakes that poker players make in a limit Hold’em is folding when they shouldn’t. There are two possibilities that they fold under.
- The poker players fold when they have the best hand that can win them the pot.
- They fold too early in poker i.e. before the river.
A player’s wrong attempt to fold can cost him high, especially when his opponent bluffs at the draw. We advise players not to make such mistakes.
Looking at the pointers above, I’m sure no player would like to risk and zero their bankroll. Understand your hands first. Observe other poker players in the online poker room. Since, it’s not possible to be physically present in an online poker room, one needs to be extra careful while playing or folding a hand. Think what you would do if you would be playing poker in India on real table. Would you afford a minor mistake? Also, imagine you winning big cash! How cool it sounds. And all this will be possible only with a serious, skillful play of folds and at the right time. Happy playing poker!
