All In

What really makes hold em the poker game of the times is the All In move. Nothing is more exciting then when an athlete gives it everything they got or when a professional pushes the limit in their field. "Here it is," they say, "I'm ALL IN."

Poker brings the move to a high state of visualization. You only have so much ammunition. You've been ever so careful in building it up over the course of a tournament. But now you've put it all at risk by shoving every single chip you have at into the center of the table. It's double or nothing. It's do or die. I love it.

But the All In move is all about timing. Not just doing it when you have the nuts - the best possible hand in poker. That move is relatively easy. You can't lose, so why not. In fact that is NOT the best time, usually, to make the big move because most of the time, your opponent is going to fold and there is no value to be gained. I was just in a tournament where I saw the worst All In move in history. Its the table chip leader against the second in chips. Thge chip leader bets 5X the big blind pre-flop. The second chip leader calls. The flop comes out 10-10-4. The chip leader bets out 10X the big blind. The second chip leader goes all in and the leader folds. The second chip leader proudly shows the table pocket 10s. Ouch. A huge opportunity lost. He had position. He had an unbeatable hand. He could have easily doubled up. Horrible - just horrible play.

The All In move is about (1) getting called when you have the best hand; (2) protecting a lead in a hand; (3) forcing your opponent to call on the river because they feel they are priced in; and, most importantly (4) re-building your stack when you are short. Of course all these situations are shown in detail on my poker courses. Its all about feel. Its about creating a tight image, then making the move and forcing strong hands to fold. Or creating a loose image and getting medium strength hands to call. Its about deception. Making the move when you look desperate. Making the move on a player that is tilting. Doing it when you sense weakness. In poker the important thing is often not what you hold, but what is in your opponent's hand. So many opportunities that players let get away. Too many to go into all of them here.

Its a move that is to be used very sparingly early and early mid of a tournament. Why? Because the gain is small compared to the risk - getting eliminated.

I love that the "All In" phrase has popped up in general language. I see it in the newspapers. "Obama goes All In on Health Care." I see it professionally. My father, who is respected Pediatric Cardiologist, told his boss, "Either we fix our budget or I QUIT." He was certainly all in.

Good Luck with your all in bets. Make sure you're prepared. Your opponents are primed and, most importantly, make sure the risk/reward equation is in your favor.