How to go All-In in a Poker Game … and Win (Part 1)
They say you should not put all your eggs in one basket, or in the case of poker, all chips in one pot. But if Lady Luck is on your side, you can go “all in”: essentially, a do or die move that can bring big winnings, or a complete and sweeping loss,“All in” poker games require a great deal of daring, and a good dose of sense. Unfortunately, many players who try this strategy miss the point of the move, and thus don’t take full advantage of the opportunities it creates.
One thing you have to avoid is to have such a predictable playing style that your opponents can practically read the cards you have from your behavior at the table. If you only go “all in” when you’ve got the nuts, they’ll just fold. Not exactly the effect you wanted.
All in bets are also more powerful when you’re making it, rather than calling it. By taking the initiative, you can win the hand just by betting when you are more or less sure that your opponent will fold. (The game, therefore, becomes a matter of guessing that he has bad cards rather than you having good cards.)
All in bets are also effective when you have the most chips at the table. It forces other players to lose what they do have, forcing them out of the game. That is a risk worth taking if you can afford to lose more chips, since you outstack them anyway.
However, do not completely throw reason out the window and ride on a pure cold bluff. You may not have the most fantastic hand, but you should at compute if you’ve got a fighting chance with the cards that have not yet been dealt. Call it a safety neck. Call it common sense.