Learn Texas Holdem

Pre-flop action in no limit Texas hold'em poker is about more than just going all in or folding. There are cases when you may want to limp in, make a small raise, call a raise or even overcall.

What Is an Overcall in No Limit Texas Hold'em?

An overcall is when there has been a raise, another player has already called and you choose to call as well. This is an important decision, as two players have already shown a good amount of strength in the hand. The raiser is representing strength by raising, and since you generally need a better hand to call a raise than to raise the pot yourself, the caller (who also knows that you are behind him) is also showing considerable strength.

When Should You Overcall in No Limit Texas Hold'em?

Before attempting an overcall, you must first have a strong hand, or one that plays particularly well in multi-way pots. Hands like TJ suited or 88 where you are hoping to flop a set or fold are good hands to overcall with, especially if the initial raise is not too large. Trouble hands like AJ and K9 are not good hands to overcall with, as they are too likely to flop the second best hand if they hit.

When Should You Not Overcall in No Limit Texas Hold'em?

If you are in early position with certain hands and many players are to act behind you, you may not want to play. If you think that one of the players behind you may raise, you should probably fold unless your hand can withstand an all-in bet. If you overcall and are raised, your call may be wasted.

Options Besides Overcalling

When facing a raise and a call, you may consider raising yourself. Doing so with a less than premium hand is known as a squeeze play. The reasoning is that the first player will assume that you are very strong and be afraid of what the player in between will do so he will fold, and the caller will have had a hand strong enough to call one raise but not two and fold as well. You should only try this if the initial raise is not so great that the other players will feel pot committed. If it is, only raise with an extremely strong hand. In addition, you should be sure (through observation) that the players already in the pot are good enough that they are capable of folding after already committing chips to the pot if you are planning a squeeze play steal.