What makes you fold?

[Tilt]

Are you more likely to fold to persistent aggression, or to large bets?

I find some players are more likely to fold to large bets, but some are much more inclined to call large bets, even with marginal hands. Its like their gambling mentality takes over. But the same players who fold in these situations are much more likely to fold to a string of smaller bets. Its not only that they are just fishing the turn and river. They genuinely don't believe until the third bet that their second pair is no good.

The timing and circumstances of folds are curious to me as well. For instance, I find most players will almost never fold to a checkraise. Another example is a class of players who I find particularly inclined to call to bets on the river if you haven't been betting all along, even sometimes with K high or less. But yet many are more inclined to fold to river bluffs.

I want to understand the psychology of folding better than I do. In many important online situations, persuading a player to fold is largely about addressing their particular psychological/emotional tendencies. What types of players are more likely in the group who folds to large onslaughts? What types need a long "story line" of raising and reraising to be convinced?

After playing with someone awhile, of course, your tendency to hold or fold is shaped by the previous hands you have had with the opponent. But in the early going, when everyone is unknown, it is based on your tendencies I think.

Has anyone written on this subject? Anyone have any thoughts? I know this is somewhat general, but my goal here is to learn to more quickly identify the best way to make any particular player fold their marginal hands. Usually I am playing PLO cash games or NLHE tourneys where this ability is especially important.

Thanks for posing this very important and intriguing question. Trying to successfuly answer this question has been integral to the success of my poker hobby. Most generally, I fold when I am convinced I'm beat. I often still call if I question my read. At this point I to try to assign a value to the accuracy of my read and decide if the odds being offered are greater or less than the probability I think I'm beat. Generally, I try to enter the phenomenal field of my opponent and view the situation from his perspective. Obviously, I can't know what he holds but I can make conjectures based on my notes (if I have any), previous behavior at the table, and immediate preflop and post flop betting behaviors (time to make bet, size of bet, position, chat, etc). I guess it's more instinctual; I'd have difficulty writing a general principle for folding. I do know in the past I called too much, often against my instincts and almost always paid for it.

JeffreyREBT (Wherein I don't promise to make you rich without trying, or even trying very hard; I do promise to say things that will make you FEEL rich).

What limits you playing at?

mike caro wrote an article on no fold em hold em, LeeJones book is ALL ABOUT no foldem holdem (winning low limit holdem) basically says at low limits players call way too much. so adapt to different players, games.

DB - "dont try and bluff a calling station"

HOH, WLLHE - in tourneys if you wait till players tighten up after first 4ish rounds then you can experiment with stealing.

can play smallball (HOH) making half ish pot raises to steal then usually giving up if you encounter resistance (if it dosent work first time round.)
(the smaller the bet the less often it has to work)

At lower limits are players responsive to more elaborate bluffs (playing longball)? ie are they even paying attention to what you could be representing, (your betting pre flop and on each street)
is the increased risk necassary/profitable at lower limits??

Adapt -
1. Get value from calling stations.
those who tend not to fold - you get chips from when you have good hands and they call not by trying to make them fold. - "dont try to bluff a calling station" [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]
they're probably the best/easiest player to play against - you just play fairly tight straightforward game and get good value from them.

2. and bluff/steal from players WHO DO FOLD to half-2/3 pot bets.

I do this a lot after a certain point in NL sit n go tourn.

Ps i only really play sngos online, where you get shorthanded and closer to the money quickly then players start to tighten up so you can do the opposite and steal, bluff, loosen up more. (but dont jeapordise your position if you dont need to)

[lehighguy]

1) Changing paces
2) Looking like you just hit a draw/were slowplaying

I play $600NL short. Sometimes, I will call bets with nothing if I sense a good bluffing opportunity may be there. If my opponenet repeats weakness I usually strike.