Learn to fold

[bellicoso]

I think this is probably the best thing a player can learn to do.

And I don't mean, like a robot, that you follow the 80-90 percent rule. I don't even agree with that.

What I mean is that you should follow your instinct that tells you you're beaten, and be okay with cutting your losses and moving on to the next hand.

This implies that you're in a hand, post-flop, and you've made some calculations and good assumptions about your opponent(s) along the way.

Did an opponent make a big bet? Did they raise you? Why did they do that? Do you even have good pot odds?

Chances are, they've got something and you don't. So, fold. Move on. Instead, get into it when you're on the other side of that situation. Don't worry about being bluffed off of a pot. Just move forward.

 

[bidearm]

I have a problem with folding pairs tend to ride them to the end

 

[Misaki]

well, you don't earn money only by making valuebets or bluff but also by making good folds. To improve that part of poker you just have to work a lot, especially work on understanding ranges on different positions in particular situations.

 

[BesseNuts]

Agreed Bellicoso! A poker player has to look for confortables situations. Its not a shame fold an AK for example, if you dont hit a pair! Dont lose money is also a victory.

 

[bellicoso]

Agreed Bellicoso! A poker player has to look for confortables situations. Its not a shame fold an AK for example, if you dont hit a pair! Dont lose money is also a victory.

That's a great example. I have seen a lot of people ride AK to the end without ever pairing. Just let it go, man!

 

[bellicoso]

I have a problem with folding pairs tend to ride them to the end

We're all guilty of this. The trick is to follow those clues I mentioned. If you know your opponent isn't a maniac, and they're betting/raising you, get out of there!

 

[Garfield52]

Sometimes following your gut is better than using your brain. I have saved a lot of chips by following through on a hunch that I had about a hand. Paid off too

 

[Aca0012]

Of course, it's important to learn when folding your cards. It does not need to be too tied to your cards and thus put yourself in an unpleasant situation. Sometimes it's a smarter game to run than to finish up and make a mistake that can cost us a bit later in the later part of the tournament.

 

[playinggameswithu]

In cash games a penny saved is a penny earned but in MTTs you have to gamble a lot.

 

[bellicoso]

In cash games a penny saved is a penny earned but in MTTs you have to gamble a lot.

That's true, you do have to gamble. However, you can be reasonable about when to do it and how to follow through. I recently posted about my playing style (very aggressive) in the Online section. While it's not without risk (or trash-talk from "good" players), it allows you to capitalize on a lot of hands. Still, the "learn to fold" rule applies. Post-flop, you've got to do some analysis and be willing to let go of your losers.

 

[Rufun2]

BIG PROBLEM FOLDING. THINK I SHOULD WIN ALL HANDS

 

[djsviga]

I think what it is really important is that you you have a balanced range, for folding, betting and raising to become tough to play against. Of course there are a lot of players out there who just don't like to fold and if you adjust to their game it becomes pretty easy to exploit them. GL!

 

[MikeCarasone]

This is a great skill to gain. Folding in big spots lately has definitely increased my ability to go deeper in tournaments. I have noticed that often times when players bet really big on the river but not at all before hand they often have a good hand easily enabling me to find a fold. IF I don’t have a top hand I am finding the fold. A very skilled played once taught me that it’s better to fold and find a better spot than go broke with a medium hand. Even if I’m ahead it’s not worth it in the long term. If I think I am definitely ahead obviously I am going with my gut instincts. Being able to fold a good hand knowing there is a high chance you are losing separates good players from the elite.

 

[bellicoso]

This is a great skill to gain. Folding in big spots lately has definitely increased my ability to go deeper in tournaments. I have noticed that often times when players bet really big on the river but not at all before hand they often have a good hand easily enabling me to find a fold. IF I don’t have a top hand I am finding the fold. A very skilled played once taught me that it’s better to fold and find a better spot than go broke with a medium hand. Even if I’m ahead it’s not worth it in the long term. If I think I am definitely ahead obviously I am going with my gut instincts. Being able to fold a good hand knowing there is a high chance you are losing separates good players from the elite.

Totally agree. Once you learn this, you've leveled up a bit.

 

[tw082]

such an excellent statement and good advice im sure most including myself could follow a bit more.

 

[Kalipro]

I think this is probably the best thing a player can learn to do.

And I don't mean, like a robot, that you follow the 80-90 percent rule. I don't even agree with that.

What I mean is that you should follow your instinct that tells you you're beaten, and be okay with cutting your losses and moving on to the next hand.

This implies that you're in a hand, post-flop, and you've made some calculations and good assumptions about your opponent(s) along the way.

Did an opponent make a big bet? Did they raise you? Why did they do that? Do you even have good pot odds?

Chances are, they've got something and you don't. So, fold. Move on. Instead, get into it when you're on the other side of that situation. Don't worry about being bluffed off of a pot. Just move forward.

Half your game in my opinion. Learning to cut your losses is as important as extracting as much as you can on your won hands. I used to have a local card room that played Omaha hi/lo. Was a great game for me early on because it taught me how to fold big hands.

 

[greatgame230]

Hi, good advice but I must disagree with all respect in some aspect, very rarely in poker you will find that you have a 100% winning hand and you can reach extremes (I do not say that you do) for example: you have 8h8c and the flop is 8s6s5s, the turn is 8d and the river is 4s you have poker but it is not 100% sure that you will win the hand, I mean with this extreme example if you start to question more than normal you can lose good hands, so that's why I think from my point of view that it is important to know your opponent and how you say to consider your hand and see the success percentage that you have but not to doubt everything.

Greetings

 

[sheltowee420]

I agree, the more I play this game the more I learn to fold.

 

[pirateglenn]

Folding is the biggest skill in poker - i dont care what anyone else says, it tests self discipline, it factors in a thought process that says you have considered all other possible factors, board texture, your hand and much, much more.

CC have a good article already on folding good hands - https://www.cardschat.com/folding-good-hands.php

Here is a short video tutorial by DNEG on the art of folding a good hand -

good luck at the tables!

Pirateglenn

 

[AzdajaD]

[FONT=arial, sans-serif]In pretty much every kind of poker game folding is a big part of learning how to win...
Learn when to fold, chek or bet...but remember, you need to learn to play solid poker first! [/FONT]

 

[akmost]

In micro stakes 9/10 times players are representing what they have , so if you are alerted you can easily find the fold button.

In higher stakes fold and pot control are 2 weapons players use a lot. They don't go so often to a showdown unless they have both strong hands(or bluffcatching).

Whenever I run deep in a tournament I vividly remember my nit folds because I always try to eliminate the high variance spots from my game. Otherwise you can be one of those bad beat story tellers.

 

[Pickat]

Very true . To be profitable you have to minimize your losses as well as maximizing your wins . And folding is an important part of that . I do my best not to fall in love with any hand , no matter what it is . Gotta fold em when you know you're beat . Good advice and good luck .

 

[1k95]

Would you throw off like Dominic Nietzsche? In 2010 .

 

[wacosteel]

Very good advice! I totally agree.

 

[619Leafs]

Folding is an important part of the game that goes unoticed.

The part where it get difficult is folding during the river when before the flop and during flop and turn your ahead then river hits and it changes the complexion of the board and your opponent bets huge forcing a fold.