When you decide how to play against the all-in before pre-flop, that also depends hand strength and position but mainly stack size.For example, AAs and KKs win over 80% of the time so if you have those premium hands play. There are times that you just have to call a shove hitting the nuts, and in tourneys this could be with Ace/King or medium pocket pairs if under 10xBBs. However, you should fold weak hand like Ace-Jack against a tight player or from early position. Think of your opponents tendencies and where you are in the game to make the best-educated decision.
Hand Strength
If someone shoves all in pre flop, the first decision to make is hand strength. If you have those pocket aces or kings, then call that all-in with no second thought. These can win over 80% of the time against most all other hands. Well, what if you have something not as strong — let us say pocket tens or Ace-King? Well, it depends.
For example, if you are playing a tournament where it is close to the money bubble and someone goes all-in with A-Q or even A-J this might be way too risky! Why? The reason is that you do not want to put your tournament life at risk without a top hand. However, if in a cash game and deep-stacked you can consider taking that risk.
Moreso than most, this is a matter of examples: Phil Ivey with pocket queens once folded to an all-in knowing the player was only shoving premium hands. Rather, it is about knowing where to draw the line. Poker is still a game with risk but knowing your hand strength to the opponents likely range helps.
I see lots of people making mistakes in pre-flop ranges and calling range its one area where I will really hammer them. Thus, unless the tight player is an uber nit and Captain Ito wishes to run out with Ace-King will be folded. However, against a looser opponent calling with suited connectors or even mid-pairs might be the edge you need. Remember to consider their tendencies and what the payout structure is.
Position and Stack Size
The first thing I consider when having to respond to all-in move pre-flop would be position and stack sizes. In poker, position is extremely important; a late postion tends to give you the edge since you have an idea what others might do. Say, you are in the big blind and an EPer does push bets all-in; they probably have some very strong. On the other hand, when a player in late position shoves — more so if nearly everyone folded to them pre-flop — they seat’s likely just trying to steal blinds.
So, stack size complicates it further. But, when your stack is less than 10 big blinds (a short-stack), you don’t have the luxury of waiting around for premium hands. This is better than 100% chance of going broke. Want to be even more selective though, then do so with a healthy stack — say 40+ big blinds. You don’t take unnecessary risks with your tournament life, so I’d fold most marginal hands provided there’s no doubt that you’re behind.
He knows better than anyone why that is so, as real-life examples reveal. Daniel Negreanu faced an all-in with pocket nines while holding a big stack. His opponent had Ace-King. The shove was from early position but with his stack and being in late position, NG could make the call. That knowledge allowed him to make a strategic decision that ultimately handed one of his bigger victories.
Thus, if you are short-stacked late in a tourney, it could be accurate to call with any hand that has even marginal potential such as suited connectors or small pocket pairs. However, with chips and a great situation start over — of course you can play it safe and be on the lookout for something bigger.
Opponent Tendencies
This is especially true when facing an all-in pre-flop because you may think your own hand and outs have better equity than they actually do. There are aggressive players that will shove it in with any two and then there is the arr I wont make a move unless i have pockets or selling out to the highest value stable management, 3 bet just means go all-in. Personally, if I know someone bluffs a lot or is generally loose with their plays than you ought to calling down lighter like Ace-Jack and pocket tens. Against a tight player? If I were to cold-call, it would only be if I have kings or better.
The key is watching how they bet throughout the entire game. When somebody is not involved for many hands and then all of a sudden jams, it’s suspicious. The are likely holding Aces, or Kings; possibly some other high pocket pair. A player who has been shoving every few hands is merely trying to double up and likely will have a weaker holding, so we can call with a wider range.
Here is an example: Another spot on The Poker Brat, Phil Hellmuth’s tight image; He barely ever shoves without a real hand. Conversely, someone like Tom Dwan might try to go all-in with a hand as weak as Queen-Jack suited. Whether or not you commission your opponent is literally the difference between an extra INd 5,000 a season.
There was this one instance in my mind when I got it all-in against an ultra-aggressive player who had been shoving literally with every hand. I had Ace-Ten suited and I decided to go for it. He showed King-Queen off suit, and I won the hand double up my stack.
Therefore always consider the style of your opponent before you make a move. Are they bluffing often? Are they shoving with nitie hands only? Unfortunately, knowledge is power and understanding these tendencies will give you a huge edge.
Tournament or Cash Game
If you are up against an all-in pre-flop move, the nature of the game — tournament or cash game — will drastically influence your decisions. In a cash game, the chips at your table are real money. Since you can always rebuy, it might make sense to call all-ins with a larger range of hands than normal if you know your edge and do not expose yourself. For example, a big combo probably is not worth gambling for with Ace-Queen as well using J-J. Because your stack size is always the same in relation to you buy-in, more off-the-wall plays can be justified.
However, the same thing wouldnt be applicable in a tournament. These are not real money like the chips. and when you lose all u can do is to rebuy. If you are kind of on the bubble trying to make it into a payout spot, going all-in with Ace-Queen and dying can be devastating. You really don’t want to risk it unless you’re holding a hand like AK or pocket tens and above.
The 2003 WSOP, for instance was the event that served as a springboard of Chris Moneymaker who bluffed his way through to triumph in an enormous poker tournament. If he had faced an all-in at a critical juncture, his decision would have been separate from tourney vs. cash game. Meaning that in a tournament he will also be folding some marginal hands to make sure not to go bust while on a cash game, possibly play more loosely.
Pot odds are more relevant in cash games because you know exactly where you stand and use your equity of the chances of winning to make decisions. So, in tournaments, the most important factor becomes just how you can survive rather than extracting as much EV from situations. You should always be considering a fold vs call and how it might impact your tournament long-term than simply what type of hand you are holding.
