Cold calling may be a concept unfamiliar to novices, but it affects poker games. Are player cold calls a good strategy? And why is it called cold calling?
Check out our player cold calls guide to learn more about the term, when to raise your bet, and what makes a good cold call
WHAT IS A COLD CALL IN POKER?
Cold calling is a term used to describe a player who doesn’t have any money or chips in the pot, and instead, just calls after a bet or a raise, which can end up leaving them rather flat.
A classic example of a cold call, is when Player A raises under the gun with their original bet, then Player B reraises from the middle playing position on their bet before Player C cold calls from the button. The players that are in the blinds won’t be able to cold call, so they’ll just be calling or defending what is in the pot.
Typically, cold calling is found when you bet in low-stakes cash games, and in many no-limit hold’em games, players will purely be cold calling.
WHEN TO COLD CALL?
Sometimes, player cold calls is a tactic used by weaker players who are too loose from the preflop into the flop, and they can be exploited at the turn. Let’s look at some examples of when a player should pick a cold call.
SETTING THE COLD CALL AS A TRAP
If you’re going to cold call in poker, you can trap your opponent with your raises. This is particularly the case when you are playing against weaker opponents. They will be so invested that they will jump at any opportunity to win money from a growing pot going into the flop, and they won’t know a lot about what hands to put down.
If you are happy to be patient, then there will be times during a game when you can exploit those players who lack the experience, and toss away their hands with too many bad raises.
MAKE RAISES WITH SUITED CONNECTORS
Suited connectors can be the key to being more successful with your original bet and taking more money from the pot. You should check to see if you can cold call with your suited before placing your bets.
To master cold calling, you will need to learn that a hand may be too weak to 3-bet. Nevertheless, the hand that the player calls with should be large enough to take money from a multi-way pot.
WHEN NOT TO COLD CALL?
However, it is equally important to recognise there are times when you should avoid calling too often. Cold calling can lead to your hand being cracked, and for any player, this is bad. Let’s reflect on some examples of when you should learn to deviate from the original course, and shelve cold call plans.
AVOID RAISES AGAINST AGGRESSIVE PLAYERS
In poker, there will be some players who are deeply invested and will make a bet no matter what the draw is. The good news is that you should learn to take time before making a raise or a reraise.
Knowing how your opponent plays and when they are likely to raise will be a clear indicator for you to decide whether to cut your losses. However, Player B might be overzealous and over-commit, and if you can knock them out early, this will boost your chances of winning your bets.
BE AWARE OF THE STACKS
If the stacks are big around the table, then this defeats the purpose of the cold call. Rather, you should make everything effort from the position you are in to build the pot.
The cold call should therefore be used as an offensive measure to coax the small stacks rather than as a defensive tactic where you are calling simply in the hope that another player raises.
HOW TO PLAY AGAINST COLD CALL POKER
Cold calling is a tactic that should be used with caution. You need to know what it means. It is a more aggressive tactic. Make sure you know what you have posted in the preflop phrase. If you can learn whether a player has a strong or weaker hand, you will quickly realise if they are likely to make too many raises.
COLD CALL STRATEGY TIPS
Mastering player cold calls and when to make raises is a fundamental part of the poker experience. So, here are a few tips to check before you enter the world of cold calling:
BE CAREFUL WITH A RAISE
Player raises are common in poker. For example, you might have made your bet in a tight position with AK against a tight player who likes to raise preflop, so check to see how things are lining up. This player might like to make raises with big pocket pairs and hands, so cold calling could work well here.
AVOID SQUEEZERS
Sometimes, you might encounter a player or two that are maniacs in poker and they will love to 3-bet let alone make cold calls. If players are too passive, what this means is that you are more likely to see flops with calls and you can raise your equity in games.
REALISE THE IMPACT OF BLINDS
When you enter with a small blind, you will be in a better position when folding on the pre-flop than those players who like to raise, reraise, or make calls from behind. Ideally, check what is posted before launching into your next move.
SUMMARY
So, what’s the answer to resolving player cold calls in poker? It won’t be fresh news that it’s not a fail-proof strategy, however, if you understand what it means and can use it to effectively raise, then player cold calls have their place.
We hope you have managed to learn more about how cold calls can have their advantages. The positive news is that if you have invested enough time in your cold calls and raises from the middle position on the board, and are rigorous when you check your hands, this means you can reap the rewards in poker in the long term when you raise.