Factors to consider when going "ALL IN"

A common question in Texas Hold'em poker is when to raise ALL-IN and commit all of one's chips in a hand. Poker is a situational game: it's not easy to explain exactly when somebody should automatically go all in. There are a number of factors to consider before pushing all of your chips into the middle. Are there any obvious tells to consider? Are your opponent's hands shaking or quivering? Does he look intimidated or scared? What does the board look like? Is there an ace to trump your kings, a straight draw on the board to supersede your trips, or a possibility of trips trumping your high pair? It's important to look at all of the possibilities before making a decision.

Often times, you can better read your opponent's hand by examining his betting pattern. Is he confidently betting nearly half the pot? Does he slow down and check? Is he trying to trap you here or is he simply just throwing up a white flag? This all depends on your opponents. The pros tend to trap to maximize their benefits, while the amateurs often times over-bet the pot and leave no margin for error.



Going all in on a bluff is strongly ill-advised. If you get your bluff caught, as you so often will, you will look like an idiot and will be thought of as a reckless player. An important factor of poker that often times doesn't get considered is that playing is so much easier when you have the respect of your opponents. If your opponents consider you one of the best at the table, they will undoubtedly throw away better hands in order to avoid damage from a player they consider a threat.

Pocket Aces or Kings should always raise pre-flop. This avoids bad hands from getting involved in the hand. Amateurs tend to go all-in on hands like pocket aces or kings, but these hands can often be trumped. Obviously, if you look down and see pocket aces and somebody goes all in, you call with confidence because of your overwhelming lead on your opponent's hand.

Going all in in poker can be extremely exciting. But overly excited players are the ones that usually make the first exits. Play smart, play effective, and use your better judgment to lead you towards the right direction. According to Marius McLaughlin, you should go all in when "you are convinced you have the best hand and actually want to be called". Take a look at this video of Phil Ivey, who is considered the greatest poker player in the world, pushing all in when he was convinced he had the best hand.



Sources:

http://ezinearticles.com/?When-to-Go-All-In-in-Texas-Hold-Em&id=1378779

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