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Poker glossary

All-in

What it means

Going all-in means betting every chip you have in front of you. Once you push your entire stack into the middle, you can’t be forced out of the hand - you’ll see all remaining cards without having to match any further bets. This creates a side pot if other players continue betting.

How it works at the table

When you go all-in, you verbally announce “all-in” or push your entire chip stack forward. Say you have 35bb and raise to 3bb from the button with A♠ K♦. The big blind re-raises to 12bb. You shove all 35bb into the middle. The big blind must now decide whether to call 23 more big blinds or fold. If they call and have you covered (more than 35bb), any additional chips they have won’t be at risk against you. The dealer will deal out the flop, turn, and river regardless of further action, and you’ll win the pot if you have the best hand at showdown.

Strategic context

All-in moves serve multiple purposes. Short stacks use them to maximize fold equity while they still have enough chips to make opponents fold. Deep stacks might shove to protect vulnerable hands or apply maximum pressure in key spots. Tournament players must consider ICM implications - sometimes a mathematically correct all-in becomes a fold when pay jumps are at stake. Cash game all-ins tend to be more straightforward since chips equal direct monetary value.

Common mistakes

Players often shove too wide when short-stacked, going all-in with hands like K2s for 15bb when they could wait for better spots. Another error is never bluff-shoving - predictable players who only jam with premium hands become easy to play against. The reverse problem exists too: some players bluff-shove far too often, especially in spots where opponents are priced in to call. Many beginners also misunderstand the side pot rules, thinking they can win chips beyond what they’ve contributed.

All-in decisions connect directly to pot odds calculations - both for the shover and potential callers. Understanding your equity against calling ranges helps determine profitable shoving opportunities. Stack sizes relative to blinds dictate much of all-in strategy, particularly in tournaments where survival matters. The threat of going all-in creates leverage in earlier betting rounds, even when you don’t actually shove.