When To Raise In Poker?

There is a common belief in poker that if you raise with the best hand you make a profit (over time) regardless of the outcome of that individual hand. It's a mathematical concept that top poker players rely on, and with good reason, but knowing when to raise isn't simply a question of numbers.

Let's assume you're in a no-limit game with an absolute donk, and this poor player also happens to have a lot of cash in front of him. This guy is going to play badly because he has no other option, and over time he will lose all his money. But that doesn't mean he will lose every hand, and knowing when to raise him is critical.

You could have a situation against this guy where you know that you are a slight favorite, say 55-45 to win the hand. The guy though knows nothing of this and puts in a big bet. Should you raise him all-in with this advantage? It's a valid and significant question.

If you know that the guy is sticking around, that there will be chances down the line to isolate him, then this is not the best spot to risk all your chips. This is true when you have a finite number of chips, either because it is a tournament or if it is a cash game where you cannot afford to rebuy.

However, if you think your best spot is this 55-45 situation then you need to push and raise. The key with weak players is to realize that there are LOTS of good spots against them, because they offer you a lot of opportunities to beat them - taking a situation that is little better than a coin-flip is not smart in this instance.

It also helps to keep the following in the back of your mind: Even donks get monster hands now and then, and they will know how to play those, and bad players can also suck out on you in various horrible ways, so exercise some caution.

nice story, i think i just might isolate some camels today