All-In

All-in is poker's point of no return—the moment you push every chip you have into the pot and commit your tournament life or entire cash game stack to the outcome. Once all-in, your decisions end; the cards speak for themselves. All-in situations range from premium hands seeking maximum value to desperate short-stack shoves hoping for fold equity. Understanding when to go all-in, when to call all-ins, and how side pots work is essential for both tournament survival and cash game profit.

Table of Contents

• What is All-In
• When to Go All-In
• All-In Mathematics
• Side Pots Explained
• Tournament All-In Strategy
• Cash Game All-In Strategy
• Calling All-Ins
• All-In Etiquette
• Common Mistakes

What is All-In {#what-is}

Definition

Going all-in means betting your entire remaining stack. Once all-in:

All-In Scenarios

Types of All-In Bets

When to Go All-In {#when}

Good All-In Situations

Stack-to-Pot Ratio (SPR) Guide

Push/Fold Charts (Short Stack)

When your stack is ≤15 big blinds, switch to push/fold:

Button shove ranges (approximate):

Big Blind calling ranges vs Button shove:

When NOT to Go All-In

All-In Mathematics {#math}

All-In Equity

When all-in and called, you need enough equity to profit:

Example: You shove $100 into$50 pot, opponent calls

• Pot = $250
• Your equity needed: $100 /$250 = 40%

Fold Equity Calculation

Example: Shove $50 into$30 pot with 35% equity if called

Key insight: Even with weak equity, fold equity can make shoves profitable.

Break-Even Fold Equity

Simplified for common scenarios:

Effective Stack Math

The effective stack limits maximum win/loss:

Example:

• You: $150
• Opponent: $400
• Effective stack: $150 (your max win or loss)

Side Pots Explained {#side-pots}

When Side Pots Form

Side pots occur when players have different stack sizes in an all-in situation.

Side Pot Mechanics

Player A: $100 (all-in)
Player B: $500 (calls)
Player C: $500 (calls)

Main Pot: $100 × 3 = $300 (A, B, C eligible)
Side Pot: ($500 - $100) × 2 = $800 (B, C only)

Multiple Side Pots

Player A: $50 (all-in)
Player B: $150 (all-in)
Player C: $500 (calls)
Player D: $500 (calls)

Main Pot: $50 × 4 = $200 (A, B, C, D eligible)
Side Pot 1: ($150 - $50) × 3 = $300 (B, C, D eligible)
Side Pot 2: ($500 - $150) × 2 = $700 (C, D only)

Side Pot Resolution

Side Pot Strategy

Tournament All-In Strategy {#tournament}

ICM Considerations

In tournaments, chip value is non-linear:

Tournament All-In Adjustments

Push/Fold Zones in Tournaments

Big Stack Aggression

As chip leader:

Cash Game All-In Strategy {#cash-game}

Cash vs Tournament All-In

Cash Game All-In Situations

Implied Odds vs All-In

When all-in removes implied odds:

Example: Calling $200 all-in with flush draw

• Need ~35% equity (have ~35% on flop)
• Marginal call with no implied odds

With $400 behind:

• Implied odds add value if you hit
• More attractive call

Stack-Off Ranges (100BB Deep)

Calling All-Ins {#calling}

Call Decision Framework

Required equity to call:

Calling Range Guidelines

Range Reading for Calls

Blockers in All-In Calls

All-In Etiquette {#etiquette}

Proper All-In Protocol

Running It Multiple Times

In some cash games, players can "run it twice" (or more):

Purpose: Reduces variance, doesn't change EV

Protecting Your All-In

Common Mistakes {#mistakes}

Mistake 1: Shoving Too Deep

Problem: Going all-in with 100BB when not committed Solution: Consider SPR before committing stack

Mistake 2: Calling Light in Tournaments

Problem: Calling with marginal hands near bubble Solution: Respect ICM—fold more than cash game

Mistake 3: Ignoring Position

Problem: Shoving from early position with wide range Solution: Tighten up—more players to act behind

Mistake 4: Not Calculating Odds

Problem: Calling based on "feel" Solution: Calculate pot odds and required equity

Mistake 5: Overvaluing Draws All-In

Problem: Calling all-in with draws at bad odds Solution: Calculate equity vs pot odds precisely

Mistake 6: Missing Fold Equity Value

Problem: Not considering shove profitability via folds Solution: Factor fold equity into all-in decisions

All-In Checklist {#checklist}

Before going all-in:

Before calling all-in:

Related Calculators

• Equity Calculator - Calculate all-in equity
• ICM Calculator - Tournament all-in decisions