If you do not know when to properly call, raise, or fold, you will quickly lose money playing Texas Hold Em. Calling, raising, and folding are simple requirements of the game that all Texas Hold Em players must understand.
Calling, sometimes also called checking, occurs in Texas Hold Em when a player wants to match the bet made by their opponent. They do not want to raise the stakes of the game; they simply want to match the current bet. During the pre-flop bet, if you have an ace and king, ace and queen, king and queen, or a pair in anything you should call. After the flop, if you have any of the card combinations already mentioned or just a single ace you should call.
A raise in Texas Hold Em means that a player wants to match the current bet and raise it to a higher bet, either because the player has a very good hand or because the player is aggressively bluffing. When a player raises, all of the players who bet after the player that raised the bet are required to raise or fold. If you have two aces, two kings, or an ace and king during the pre-flop bet you should always raise.
If a person does not believe that their hand has a chance of winning the pot, they should fold, which means ending the hand. When you fold you give up the money that you already put into the pot, but you do not risk losing any more money. Do not fall into the trap of continuing to raise or call in order to protect the money you already put into the pot. Once you put the money into the pot, it is “money spent with a chance of winning it back.” Do not lose more money trying to defend money that’s not yours. Never be afraid to cut your losses – folding is part of playing Texas Hold Em. After folding, sit back and watch the other players as they play their hand. Try to learn all of your opponents’ poker tells!
If you are the first player to play after the flop, it is usually a good idea to call. This works with both a weak and strong hand. If you have a weak hand, you can see if the turn will improve your hand at all without having to raise your bet. Remember that if the player before you raises, you will have to raise or fold. Playing first after the flop is beneficial, so take advantage of it as much as possible. If you have a strong hand and you make this move, other players could be convinced that your hand is weaker than it actually is. This means the other players will call and you’ll win the pot if your hand is stronger than theirs.
Now that you understand how to call, raise, and fold you’re ready to start playing poker. Head on over to www.pokerstars.co.uk and start playing Texas Hold Em today!