Since when did All-in become a joke play

At the lower limit STT's, I see people move all-in on the stupidest situations. There will be like 80 in the pot and they will push in like 900. I know that they might have the nuts or close to it but c'mon a value bet is a better play. Just makes me mad that they check through the entire hand and then move in like that.

With the boom of online poker comes the hoards of inexperienced players whose sole experience with poker is the action hands they see on TV. They haven't learned their game yet, and so think that going "All-in" whenever they get a monster hand is the key.

I have to admit, a couple of years ago, when I was an online poker newbie, I was the same way. Thank goodness for Cardschat; I have learned so much since being a member here and have really improved my game (still have a lot more to learn, of course).

Value bet is not in their vocabulary and this is the easiest way to win hands or double up the times when they do have it. They don't have the skills yet to increase their chip stack slowly with winning hands so they scare you off the pot or get you to call when they have it.

The hard part with the monster overbet is that it screams two things at once. "I have the nuts and I dare you to call to see" and "I am bluffing so hard that you can't afford to call." The hard part for me is deciding which of the two it is. The experienced player will give them the respect and fold while another less experienced player will call and you see the hands of Q high vs bottom pair and you shake your head knowing you just threw the winning hand away.

I don't think the all-in overbet will ever get out of poker. I know if I want to see all 5 cards and not get scared out of the hand I will push all-in even if it is an overbet.

if you want an explanation from an amateur like me who have to play in those dank low level games it's this...

people will go all in and follow you in a lot of occasions and if you have the current nuts it is a good way to quickly flush out the limpers (who catch that bluidy low card full house) and extract money from the mug who follows you to his/her probable extinction....

I appreciate the insight. All of you are right in each explanation. Ill take those words and my experience and go back into the games and try to find when hes loaded or bloated.

i play alot of $2 SnGs and I think i'm gonna start playing $5 ones because of reasons like this
i've been in an unraised pot with blinds at 5/10 still and seen guys push in
i think they just get big PPs and don't know what to do with them - they're too scared to play a flop or something

"Ahem" It dosnt get much better at the $5 sit and go's

lol yeah i've played a couple Lisbons...but still the $2 are like bloody freerolls

at least at the $5 they know what size bet to make....usually

Quite honestly, at lower limit SNGs (and ring games for that matter), you would be surprised at the quality of hands (well, lack there of anyways) that will call your all-in bet.
Sometimes it's just not a bad play at those levels.

Tenbob is right it doesn,t get all that much better at $5, although you will usually find fewer really ridiculous play One thing to watch out for is one's own play. You can get so frustrated by the siily play of your opponents that you forget to pay attention to your own decisions.

i have a serious problem whenever i get a monster 1st hand PF - too many donks want to call me

like last game i got KK and raised like 6XBB then got min-raised by another person...1 more caller and then obviously i push
they BOTH call with A3os and AQos...and BIG surprise...they both hit their aces on the flop

like right now!!
i just can't raise enough to push these donkeys out of a pot!!
QQ first hand and raise 10XBB
donk calls with AX and hits his ace

Televised poker tournaments dont help ths much either. Everyone sees the pros push allin, therefore it must be the right move!

I have to agree here, depending on the skill levels of the players at your particular table.

1st hand if you get AA, KK, QQ don't raise 6xbb or 10xbb, you go all in. If AX calls you are a big favorite, and that's what you want. If they hit their 3 outter or a runner runner flush/straight, that's just unlucky.

Depending on my mood, the tourneys I may have just finished in, the weather outside, or if my heat just kicked on or off. No one factor decides how I will play the exact same hand. I believe this applies to others as well. If I push all in first hand, then I am saying that I am ready to go ALL OUT. I personnally will raise about 3 times the BB. I will watch how the others call or raise. I prefer to see a flop and then decide if I want to move all in with those pocket Q's K's or A's. I may have the best starting hand, but it is the one with the most nerve that generally will end with the pot. The best starting hand does not guarantee the best ending one. We complain, moan and groan about the bad beats that we receive, and forget about the ones we gave. If you don't have the chip lead at the table any ALL IN can put you ALL OUT. Are you prepared to go?