Could You Ever Fold Pocket Kings
De CidesaWiki
Picture the scene: you've sat down for your first table inside $10,000 World Series Of poker domino main event, after traveling each of the way to Las Vegas and after incurring all of the expenses to getting there. You've been attempting to play within the WSOP so long as it is possible to remember, every night when you have been sleeping you're dreaming of winning that prestigious bracelet.
The blinds are near their lowest, you need to study the tells and betting patterns of all the players for your table. No cards have been dealt at the table yet, but your hands are actually shaking from your adrenaline. The professional croupier deals the cards out in a robotic fashion, the initial three players insta-fold their cards. You look down and see two red K's. A sudden feeling of joy comes over you, however you do all you can to suppress your tells. You make the generic 3 times big blind raise. All the players fold up towards the big blind, who's looking straight at you. After what seems like a long time he re-raises you, that may mean you need to stake 10% of your starting chips to play.
You know what you'll want to do, you have kings! After a little Hollywood acting you re-raised, to 30% of the stack.
'All in'.
He insta-raises all-in, you feel your heart sink down through your stomach - the adrenaline is practically unbearable. Could he ever have them? Aces are you're worried about - surely no person would raise all in on AK or worse on their own upfront. You have no idea what his play style is.
Any poker book will explain folding kings is not a winning strategy. If you make a habit of folding kings you may be folding to lesser hands, and even if you do get caught by aces, you've got ~20% chance to suck out.
But the poker book doesn't take into account this is really a $10,000, yearly tournament that you have was required to travel to. What would you do in this situation? Is there a 'correct' answer?
If once to fold, surely it turned out after the very first re-raise. You raised 3 times the large blind, and that he went extraordinary of you. If you're going to re-re-raise then you should be at ease with your hand. You don't win a tournament as large as WSOP without taking big risks, but you can win it without making clutch folds. What would I do? I would snap call, you've already invested 30% of your stack into the pot - and there is a chance he's a fish over playing QQ or AK.
For more poker situations and techniques visit - giving YOU the sting inside the game.