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The question of if and when to take an all in risk is important to understand for all players but this is especially true for those who are beginners in the game. It is a very risky move that can so easily backfire and therefore should only be used in three situations.

These are to force your opponent to fold, to shove for value or because we are pot committed and need to double up.

To attempt to force your opponent to fold is a very risky action to take especially in an early or mid position in the game. This should only be enacted if you have close to if not an unbeatable hand. This is because it is better going into a showdown position with as few players as possible.

Before we take an all in risk, when we are pot committed and need to double up, we need to evaluate whether the risk and reward ratio is in our favour. In the case where we are simply throwing good money after bad, it might be a more prudent strategy to cut our losses and fold instead of risking it all for the off chance that your cards will come in.

Murphy’s law dictates that they probably wont and you will have lost everything, when you could have lived to fight another day.

Value shoving is done for a number of reasons. When you are ahead and others are pot committed you are able to elicit more value from your premium hands by shoving them in late positions. This also helps in changing your image from that of a tight player to one who is seen as more loose.

You also receive a greater pay off especially when you shove from the correct position. You however, need to be careful how you use this tool so that you do not become too predictable and easy to read. It is important to maintain a careful shoving range.

You can also take an all in risk as a pure bluff. This is a good defence against allowing drawing hands to receive all the value. All in risks can win you pots when you may have missed out on your hand. This when executed with confidence can usually force a weak opponent with a non-premium hand to fold.

New players move far too often to the all in play. If they used it more sparingly, they would be able to use it to greater effect. The tactic is very easily recognised by more experienced players for what it is, a bluff.

They will see the inconsistency of your betting strategy and call you to account because they know that if you really had a hand worth showdown value you would have been better off to value bet that hand. So you bluff is found out and you have lost it all and what was expected to be used as a strength actually becomes a weakness for all to see in the game.

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