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When do you go all in? "When you have the best hand and you know you are going to get called,thats when!". Sounds simple, but the "all-in" has cost many poker players their entire stack. The all-in is one of the most powerful and dangerous moves in poker, it can double you up or bust you out. Picking a good time to go all in is crucial for successful poker. First of all, there is a lot of luck in poker, meaning you have to get lucky and hit your cards. Its simple, go all in when you know you are going to get called and will win the pot. The only other time you go all in is when your a low stack and have to gamble.

With that being said, setting up your opponent is the key for a successful all in. The first ten minutes at a table , you should study your competition. Look at your position, and identify the loose and tight players. It pretty easy, Lets say you are at seat 1 and another player in seat 2 raises and calls alot, seat 3 calls seldom, but does not raise, seat 4 folds alot, raises seldom. and in seat 5 a player who calls down the river. Seat 2 and 5 are the looser players and seat 3 and 4 are more conservative. Who do you set up for the all in?

The answer is, everybody. Phil Ivey, or Joe the plummer,there is no poker player in the world that won't call an all in if they feel they have the best hand. The trick is to make an opponent feel like they know what you got. Here is a great example of setting up an all in. Lets say you are at a table and you get into a hand with a conservative player who has good skills. You are dealt 5 of Hearts 5 of Diamonds and your opponent is dealt Ace of Hearts, King of Clubs. You make a raise and the opponent re-raises the pot. Knowing you have a mediocre pair you call to see the flop. The flop comes Ace of Clubs, 5 of Clubs, Queen of Clubs. You are first to act, you check. Your opponent clearly thinks he has you beat, plus he has the nut flush draw, checks to slow play his hand. The turn hits the 5 of spades, Yep, 4 of a kind, gotcha, "check". Your opponent has top pair and flush draw, debates for a moment, then checks. The river is the Ace of spades, he hit his full house. Ace over fives.

This is where you go into movie mode. Look at your player like you are trying to figure out if they got it. Make a frown or wipe your face, then check. Now your opponent is only thinking how much more can I take from this donkey. he bets, THIS IS WHERE YOU GO ALL IN!Nice pot! .

Learn more about this author, John Imamura.
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