The “All In” Bet
The “All In!” bet. For poker the all in is “the” move. Its a penalty kick in the last minute of the World Cup; a walk off home run in the ninth inning of the World Series, its winning eight gold medals in the Olympics. But… it is also the last move you will make in a No Limit tournament. Everyone who does not win the event will end their tournament by moving all in.
There is a lot to say about the all in bet but let us just focus on one aspect. You want to move all in and make your opponent fold or call you rather than pushing your chips all in to call someone else’s bet. The big bet puts other players to the test, do they want to risk a big stack to call your big move?
No one can outplay you after the all in bet; there is no more play left in the hand, you are all in and all five cards are going to come out. In this sense the all in bet is the true equalizer, which is why you often hear this advice: “If your opponent is a better poker player than you, use the all in to force them to make big decisions.” Their post-flop skill is neutralized by your all in move, there is no more play in the hand and the cards will prevail. On the other hand, the less skilled player may well use the all in bet against you to force you off good but not premium hands. Remember then that the all in bet is a tool and is not always backed up by good or even average cards. The all in bet stands on its own as a powerful poker advantage, when used effectively. But never forget in a one thousand player tournament–999 players will move all in and lose.
-this is Beginner’s Poker Blog Post #188
