Just like in most games in casinos, knowing when to walk away from the tables or machines can be the best decision you’ve ever made. If you’re at Bingo Queen, you know it’s time to leave the game when you got no number shouted out. But what about poker? Knowing when to fold in poker is one of the most important skills a player can have. If you hold on to bad cards too long, you’ll end up losing all your chips – and if you’re playing in a tournament, that could mean going out early. So keep reading as we’ll share some signs that it’s time for you to fold and make better decisions about when to give up your hand.
Trash Preflop Hand
The first sign that it might be time to fold is when you have a trash hand preflop. If you’re not familiar with poker lingo, a preflop hand is the two cards you’re dealt at the beginning of each round. And a trash hand means that your cards are not good enough to make a strong hand. For example, if you’re dealt a two and a seven offsuit (meaning they’re not the same suit), that’s considered a trash hand. Most of the time, you’ll want to fold these types of hands because they’re unlikely to improve.
Priced-Out Draw
The next sign that it’s time to fold is when you’re priced out of a draw. A draw is when you don’t have a made hand yet, but you have the potential to improve your hand on the next card. For example, if you’re dealt an ace, and a king and the flop (the first three community cards) comes up queen-ten-nine, then you have an open-ended straight draw. That means you can improve your hand to a straight with either a jack or an eight on the turn or river (the fourth and fifth community cards). However, if the bet is too high for you to call, you’re priced out of the draw, and it’s probably not worth it to stay in hand.
Ultra-Tight Opponents
Have you ever felt like the world was about to ruin, knowing that you hold less than the nuts while your opponents are ultra-tight? Well, that’s not the best feeling to have while playing poker, and indeed a clear sign to fold. But don’t worry, we all face this situation in our career; it’s just how you deal with it. But are you really sure your opponent is ultra-tight? Usually, they’re not going to bluff you, and they’re not going to make big moves with weak hands. So, if you have a hand that’s not the strongest, it’s probably best to just fold and wait for a better spot.
All in all, these are some of the most common signs that it’s time to fold in poker. Of course, there are other situations where it might be a good idea to fold, but these are some of the most common ones. So next time you’re playing, pay attention to the hands you’re dealt and the situation you’re in, and if any of these signs apply, it might be time to fold.