Wager Mage
Photo by Nurlan Tortbayev Pexels Logo Photo: Nurlan Tortbayev

Should you ever fold before the flop?

When to Fold Before the Flop. In Texas Hold'em, the best poker players fold 75 percent or more of all starting hands before the betting even begins. A fundamentally sound preflop strategy sets you up for success in all subsequent betting rounds.

What number sells best?
What number sells best?

According to a 1997 study, the most common ending numbers for a price were 9 and 5. These two numbers accounted for a whopping 90% of the prices...

Read More »
What is the rarest colored horse?
What is the rarest colored horse?

Among racehorses, there are many successful colors: bay, chestnut, and brown horses win a lot of races. Pure white is the rarest horse color.

Read More »

The ability to fold marks one of the most important aspects of a winning poker strategy. In Texas Hold’em, playing too many hands preflop, or moving forward with too many marginal hands post-flop, can end up as a major detriment to your win rate. Knowing when to fold in poker is arguably the most critical skill in the game. The world’s best players know this, and fold often.

When to Fold Before the Flop

In Texas Hold’em, the best poker players fold 75 percent or more of all starting hands before the betting even begins. A fundamentally sound preflop strategy sets you up for success in all subsequent betting rounds. Even the loosest preflop players (if they’re winning players) fold before the flop around 70 percent of the time. To figure out when to fold before the flop, you need to establish a set of hand ranges that you’re willing to play from each position at the poker table. Hand range charts (like the Upswing Poker free preflop charts) represent the best way to establish a solid preflop strategy. Preflop hand range charts dictate what hands to open raise with from each position, as well as which hands to call or raise with against a player who has bet before you get to act. A good starting hand chart will have you doing a lot of folding preflop. A good preflop strategy involves playing tighter in early position, then adding more starting hands to your range in the later positions. Premium hands, like pocket aces, kings, queens, and ace-king, can be open raised from any position. As you get closer to the button, you can add more hands like low suited connectors (5♠ 4♠, 9♥ 7♥) or small pairs like pocket threes and twos.

When to Fold After the Flop

Once the flop hits the board, the game dynamic from the preflop round completely changes. Getting too attached to a hand in certain situations can spell disaster, as the pots can escalate dramatically after preflop play.

Signs that you should fold facing a postflop bet include:

When your preflop hand isn’t strong after the flop

When a player who never bluffs is betting big

When you’ve played a pocket pair preflop, and two or more overcards hit the board

When you have no pair or drawing potential with your hand post-flop

When you do have drawing potential, but don’t have the right pot odds to call

When a very tight player is betting or raising big

The world’s best poker players find their way to the highest stakes by folding in the right spots. You’ll need to do the same to work your way up in poker stakes.

Can I get in trouble for using bovada?
Can I get in trouble for using bovada?

Yes, Bovada is a legal online gaming site for residents of the United States of America. There are no federal laws that make it illegal to play.

Read More »
How do you cash out on a sportsbook?
How do you cash out on a sportsbook?

One of the most important rules when placing a bet in person at a sportsbook is being responsible for your betting tickets. That piece of paper...

Read More »

How do you win an underdog bet?

Underdog bettors who take the points in a spread market can win a bet by covering the spread in a loss. As for the moneyline market, that's where the big returns can be found. Bettors can multiple their winnings several times over in just one bet… assuming they have the right underdog to support.

About the Author Chase Kiddy Read More @chaseakiddy Chase Kiddy is a writer for BetMGM and co-host of The Lion's Edge, an NFL and college football podcast available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere else. He has also written for a number of print and online outlets, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Washington Post, Daily News-Record, and HERO Sports. His first novel, Cave Paintings, is in development. Chase Kiddy is a writer for BetMGM and co-host of The Lion's Edge, an NFL and college football podcast available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere else. He has also written for a number of print and online outlets, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Washington Post, Daily News-Record, and HERO Sports. His first novel, Cave Paintings, is in development.

What sport requires the most athleticism?
What sport requires the most athleticism?

Top 13 Sports With The Most Athleticism #1 Basketball. First up on our list is basketball. ... #3 Football Wide Reciever. Next up on our list is...

Read More »
What does 9 5 odds mean in horse racing?
What does 9 5 odds mean in horse racing?

9-5 Betting Odds means that out of 14 potential outcomes, the 9/5 odds are that there will be 9 of one kind of outcome and 5 of another kind of...

Read More »
What car broke the 200 mph?
What car broke the 200 mph?

1969 Dodge Charger Daytona 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona That First Topped 200 MPH to Be Auctioned – Robb Report. Apr 22, 2022

Read More »
What does 7 to 2 odds pay?
What does 7 to 2 odds pay?

When horse racing odds are shown in the form of 7-2, 5-1, etc, it expresses the amount of profit to the amount invested. So odds of 7-2 mean that...

Read More »