Call in poker – What Does It Mean?
Calling is one of the actions that a participant in a poker hand can take in the fight for the pot. This is the call of a bet that was made earlier. If there are other players behind you who have not said their word, they can raise the bet, and again you will be faced with the choice of folding your cards or continuing to invest chips in the pot.
Calling is generally a more cautious strategy. This action is usually taken with weak pairs, suited connectors, or broadway hands like KJ. With strong hands like kings or aces, players often play more aggressively by raising, that is, by raising the bets. The exception is when you complete a betting round and want to lure your opponent into the pot by hiding the strength of your hand.
Possible Actions in Poker
In poker, a player has three basic actions: fold, call, and raise. However, the deeper you learn the intricacies of the bizzo game, the more names you will need to remember:
Pass. Refusal to fight for the bank. The poker player throws out the cards, the dealer takes them away. You won’t win or lose anything else in this hand.
Limp. This is a type of call when a player delivers chips in a hand that has not yet had a single raise, i.e. calls a bet equal to one big blind.
Raise. Rate increase. In no-limit Texas hold’em, there is no limit to the maximum raise size, and the minimum is equal to 1 big blind step (if it is the first raise) or the difference between the two previous bets.
Tribet. Third rate hike. It is a mistake to think that a 3-bet is a bet of 3 blinds or a raise of 3 times. The first raise is the big blind (first bet). The second bet is a raise. And then the 3-bet follows. The next raise is called a 4-bet, and so on.
How Is the Distribution Going?
At the beginning of the distribution of Texas Hold’em, each of the poker players receives 2 cards face down. The dealer deals one card at a time, starting from the small blind in a clockwise direction. Thus, the last card after each round of distribution falls near the box with the button of the dealer (it is called the button).
This button points not only to the nominal dealer, but also to the players who will place mandatory blind bets – without seeing their cards yet. These are the positions of the small and big blinds. The SB sits immediately to the left of the dealer, the BB sits clockwise behind the small blind. These are the most difficult positions to play in poker because the blinds go first during post-flop betting.
When the cards are dealt, the first betting round begins. The first word is always for the poker player to the left of the big blind position. He has three options: fold, call, or raise. Then the queue moves in a circle. When the bets are equal, and 2 or more players are fighting for the pot, the dealer opens the flop – three community cards.
Another round of trading follows. Only now the first word is spoken by the poker player in the small blind position. If he folded, then the next player clockwise.
When the bets are equal, the dealer opens the fourth community card – the turn. Trading is carried out according to the rules of the flop. Then the fifth community card is revealed – the river. A round of betting follows the rules of the previous streets again.
If on the river all players missed a bet (“check”) or a bet was made and called, a showdown occurs. Opponents open their cards, and the dealer determines the winner – the player with the strongest collected combination.
Cold Call, Hero Call, Check-Call
Here’s how the calls differ depending on the situation:
Cold call. A cold call in poker is a preflop call after a raise or 3-bet from opponents. This technique is a controversial but sometimes effective way to enter the hand. Mainly used in late position.
This is how set-mining is done, the aggressor is lured into a trap, a useful bluff is carried out. It is important to have a clear distribution plan. Understand what opponent’s range beats without hitting a strong hand. You do not need to use this technique in the small and big blinds, as well as in the position close to them.
Hero call. Generally, this is the name given to calling a big bet on the river with a fairly weak hand. Usually in such a situation, the board suggests several options for higher combinations than in the hands of the “hero”. However, he is sure that the opponent is bluffing – and tries to open him beautifully.
Check-call. A sequence of actions when, within the framework of one round of betting, the player first says “check”, and after the bet of one of the opponents, he calls it.