Poker Bets
Placing bets in a game of poker comprises of various things.
You can call, raise, check,
fold or even have to open the round. On this page, Big Ace
Poker tries to explain all these.
Open the Round |
Opening the round is exactly what it sounds like, you open
the round's betting.In the first round of betting,
opening the round is also referred to as opening the pot.
Depending on the type of poker and the table being played,
the opening round may require a certain amount to be put
into the pot to open the round.
For example: In Texas Holdem there is the small blind and
big blind that are required to open the round with amounts
that are set by the table limits. These are forced bets.
|
|
|
Call |
A call bet is to match a bet or a raise. If you are
the first player in the round to call, you have to
place an amount equal to the largest opening bet,
otherwise you have to match the largest bet made in
the round thus far.
|
|
|
Checking |
Checking is a way of saying: I'll wait and see
what happens! However, you can only check if
there has been no betting before you, i.e. no-one
has opened the round. If you have checked, when all
the other players have placed their bets, then you
are required to place a bet or fold. If all the
players check, then the next round starts without
bets being placed.
|
|
|
Raise |
Raise bets, again, are exactly what they sound like.
You raise the bet to a new amount that other players
either have to call or raise on. Most tables have a
minimum value that you can raise by, so as to avoid
players raising 10 cents on a $50-$100 table or
something similarly silly. When you do raise, you
have place the value of a call bet as well as the
value of your raise bet into the pot. Good if you
want the other players to think that you have very
good hand, or even better when you do have a good
hand!
|
|
|
Fold |
Folding is probably the most straight forward. If
you fold, then you are out of the game. You return
your cards to the dealer face down who then adds
them to the muck. However, you
can only fold if it is your turn to act,
folding out of turn is not only so very wrong, but
could lead to very serious bodily harm from other
players in the game.
Jokes aside, folding out of turn could possibly
give a player who acts after you to have an
advantage over the player who acted before you. So,
just wait your turn.
|
|
Hopefully this clears up a great deal of the confusion that is
often associated with placing bets in poker.
|
|
