COLD CALL GUIDE — LEARN WHAT COLD CALLING IS IN POKER

It’s pretty clear that poker has become one of the most popular past time in the online gambling world. After all, poker is a fun and popular card game that involves betting and strategy.

One aspect of poker strategy is’ cold calling’, which refers to the act of calling a bet without having previously raised.

Cold calling in poker can be a useful technique for players to use in certain situations when playing poker cash games, but it also carries some risks. In this guide, we’ll discuss all the factors to consider before using this technique in your next poker game.

WHAT IS COLD CALLING IN POKER?

In poker, a ‘call‘ occurs when a player matches the current bet made by another player. For example, if Player A bets $/€10, and Player B wants to stay in the hand (i.e., continue playing for the current pot), they must ‘call’ by putting $/€10 in the pot. If Player C also wants to stay in the hand, they must also call the $/€10 bet.

A player cold calls a bet without them having previously raised in the preflop, and calls both the original bet and the raise. This can occur when a player is in a later position (e.g., the button or the cutoff) and has not yet had a chance to act on the current round of betting. For example, if Player A raises to $/€10 and Player B calls, and then Player C acts, they would be ‘cold calling’ if they called the $/€10 bet without raising

WHEN SHOULD YOU COLD CALL IN POKER?

Cold calling can be useful, but it is not always the best option. One thing to consider is the position of your opponent. Cold calling is typically more viable for players in later positions, because they have the advantage of seeing how other players have acted before making their decision.

Another factor to consider is the range of hands that your opponent is likely to have. If they are a tight player, it may not be wise to cold call, as their bet is likely to represent a strong hand. On the other hand, if they are a loose player, it may be more viable to cold call, as their bet may be less reliable as an indicator of hand strength.

It is also important to consider bet size and the pot odds. If the bet is small relative to the size of the pot, it may be more profitable to call and try to hit a good hand on future rounds. This may be true even if the initial bettor has a strong hand.

WHEN SHOULDN’T YOU COLD CALL IN POKER?

There are several situations in which there isn’t a good reason to cold call in cash games. One such situation is when you have a weaker hand and expect to be behind at the showdown. Cold calling with a weak hand is often a losing play, as you will be unlikely to hit the pot and will have invested money unnecessarily.

Another situation in which you should avoid cold calls is when you are in an early position or even a middle position. This can be difficult as you will have to play the hand out of position, and is especially true with the blinds, as the big blind and small blind act as forced bets, so players have no choice but to play.

It would be good to begin with low-stakes tournaments to practise.

PROS AND CONS OF COLD CALLING IN POKER

There are both pros and cons to a cold call in poker. You should thoroughly comprehend these before trying the technique out at a live table.

ADVANTAGES

Let’s run through the advantages first:

• A cold call allows you to disguise the strength of your hand.
• It allows you to see how other players act before deciding whether to call or fold.
• It can be a good way to extract value from other stronger or weaker players.

When exercised at the right time, you can utilise cold calling in a powerful way.

DISADVANTAGES

Now let’s check out the disadvantages:

• It can be risky as you are entering the pot without any momentum behind your decision.
• It can be costly if you are called and do not have the best hand.
• It can be difficult to play the hand out of position, especially against aggressive players.
• Some players may think you can be easily bluffed in the post-flop.

The risk of being called out means that a lot of players avoid calling on a regular basis.