Never Calling Preflop - Leak?

When I first started playing poker a friend told me I could avoid a lot of mistakes if I never called other peoples bets instead either raising them or folding.

I've generally stuck to this philosophy.

If no-one raises I think: Raise or Fold?
If someone raises before me I think: 3-Bet or Fold?
If there is raising after me or a 3-Bet before me I think: Shove or Fold?

At first I didn't really understand why this worked but further down the line I have come to learn about fold equity and initiative and of course a strong cbetting strategy. All of this is great but my question is:

Is this a leak? When should I consider calling preflop?

For the purposes of this discussion assume it is low/middle limit 6 max nolimit holdem being played.

1)Set mining, calling in position to a normal 3BB bet with a small to meduim pocket pair.

2)Trapping, calling in position with a very strong hand. AA-KK.


Also, you can call preflop with the intention of bluffing them postflop.

Calling with dominating hands.

Something like KJ/KQ against a wide range, say you're BB vs BTN who has a wide steal range, you have him dominated and your top pair will get paid if you take it post-flop against his current range.

Same thing with AK IP, although in some situations you should still 3bet it, say we're on the BTN vs a CO open raise, there's a lot of value in seeing a flop against a range that almost invariably has a very high % of K's A's to pay us off.

In these situations if we 3bet then he's almost always folding Ax, Kx and Qx hands. 3betting would result in increased fold equity but almost no opportunities to value bet post-flop.

don't do things without purpose or because somebody told you to do them. Even if the idea is sound your execution would be lacking if you don't understand the logic behind your actions.
Btw for what its worth don't try to trap without reads.

Once again. The players, the players, the players. You play people not positions and that SHOULD be forcing you to adjust your game if only slightly based on your competition. Any strategy that doesn't take this into account is a leak, I suppose.

A couple of further examples:

1. Deepstacked with implied odds hands in position against a tight opener, where you feel you can outplay opener postflop and don't mind the blinds coming along (and are confident they won't 3bet/squeeze light).
2. You're fairly certain that a fish in the blinds will call with a very wide range but will fold if you 3bet, and you have a hand that fares well against opener's range.

I wish I could think that fast when I play. Usually, I pick my nose, then say: "I dunno what to do ... guess I'll press this button."

slycbnew said:

A couple of further examples:

1. Deepstacked with implied odds hands in position against a tight opener, where you feel you can outplay opener postflop and don't mind the blinds coming along (and are confident they won't 3bet/squeeze light).
2. You're fairly certain that a fish in the blinds will call with a very wide range but will fold if you 3bet, and you have a hand that fares well against opener's range.

Click to expand...

IP with a good drawing hand and fish before you who would not fold to a squeeze but may fold to a semi-bluff/pay you off for a made hand

In position with 2 cards and a dream.

Dreams are over-rated.

Plan: Call 27o on the BU to and UTG and hit quads. Get paid off by UTG player who has AA because he can't believe I would call with a 2.

I play microstakes. With position and suited connectors and small-medium pairs, I would just call a standard raise. You can’t assume the other person is weak or will fold. If the flop hits the villain. You're just building the pot for him.

Would NOT call your dilemma a leak, but there are probably a lot of opportunities that you miss being so straightforward. Others have detailed some of those possibilities.