When to say when in Texas Hold’em: Folding a monster hand

Bob
Published by:
Posted on: April 21, 2020 6:17 pm EDT

Having a great hand in poker doesn’t always translate into having the winning hand

It is as important to know when to fold during a poker game as it is to know when to go big with a bet. In Texas Hold’em, what might be seen as a killer combination of poker cards can lead to significant losses; therefore, it becomes important to have a strategy prepared to fold these types of hands, depending on what’s out in the table. This is not an easy skill to acquire, but with practice, it can become a powerful tool.

What makes it more complicated is the fact that there are several factors to be considered in making such a decision – nobody starts with a good set of pocket cards thinking about folding. Getting high-value poker cards, such as A-Q or pocket Jacks, almost always pushes the player to an aggressive bet to set the pace of the hand and try to gain pot control, but it might end up backfiring. In some cases, these aggressive actions in a hand come with immediate reactions from other players at the table. If a player re-raises a during a betting round, it is time to stop and consider all odds.

If the opponent responds with a re-raise facing an aggressive, bet then it could be assumed that he is holding quite a good hand, especially if done early in the hand. There is no real incentive to go with big bets for a hand at the beginning. If this is the case, then raising again might be wrong. The best way to go would be to check and pay attention to see what happens with the opponent’s reactions to the following cards and during betting rounds. As always during a poker game, part of the strategy is to be prepared to react accordingly to the opponent’s actions before making fixed decisions.