How to Induce Folds

Inducing a fold at the poker table isn’t the most exciting
thing to do. One small mistake and you could wind up with a
quick call that puts you in a bad spot. With that said, however,
there are many tips and tricks that can be used to increase the
odds of forcing a fold from your opponents. It can be as simple
as moving your hand a certain way, or it can be as complicated
as knowing exactly what to say and in what tone. Inducing folds
from opponents is much more of an art than it is a science. A
careful, methodical approach is an absolute necessity if you
want to force folds consistently.

There are two different areas that you’ll need to look at
when attempting to induce a fold. You can either use varied
forms of body language or you can use spoken words. The two are
very different and the odds are that you’ll be much better at
one than the other. Some people can always talk their opponents
into doing exactly what they want, while others tend to screw
themselves into a hole as soon as they open their mouths. It’s
important, and even vital, that you learn which you are better at.

To me, giving off false tells through body language is easier to do
than convincing someone to fold by talking to them. If one thing
is for certain, it’s that your risk is much higher whenever you
talk. It’s easy for someone to interpret your body language in
many different ways, but language will inadvertently give off
clues that you might not have been aiming for. Most people will
just have a more natural feel for where you stand once they have
you engaged in conversation. You might be very good at talking,
though, and this would benefit you tremendously in the end.

Body Language

Body language is a very complex and virtually unending topic.
You can’t pinpoint certain actions as meaning one thing or
another. Leaning back in a chair could mean someone is strong
and comfortable, but it might mean that another player is
incredibly nervous. Different people are going to naturally have
different reactions to any given situation. The best thing that
you can do is to use context clues to your advantage. Take the
action in the hand, history, and tendencies as one group and
then determine what they are likely to mean in conjunction with
one another. Instead of using an opponent’s action to pick up on
a read, you are now going to try and get them to think you are
strong. The better you are at making reads, the better you’ll
be at tricking your opponents into making the wrong ones.

As mentioned previously, there are many different ways
that you can attempt to force folds via body language. For the
sake of this article, we are going to discuss some of the most
common and frequent spots that you are likely to encounter.

If you are trying to get someone to fold, it should go
without saying that you want to appear strong and confident. As
odd as it might seem, over confidence is going to dash your
chances of success more than most anything else. A genuine,
believable story is the most crucial element of any bluff. You
shouldn’t speak loudly, act quickly, and bet your chips with
absolute authority. Though these three things, to an outsider,
would scream extreme strength, they are often times the furthest
thing from it. One thing that you’ll need to keep in mind is
that players of different experience levels will interpret your
actions in different ways. A totally amateur or novice player is
more inclined to be intimidated by a quick bet, whereas a more
experienced player is going to know that this can easily be a
sign of feigned strength. Because of this, you should be catering
your strategy according to the opponent you are facing.

One of the best ways to appear strong is to avoid contact
while remaining firm and steady in your composure. Place your
bet, keep your hands over your cards, and stare at the board
while taking glances in the air. If you’d prefer, simply looking
at the board the whole time would also suffice (though I don’t
personally suggest this). I have always felt that a stern stare
at the pot, board, and table is more likely to procure a call
than a fold. A more relaxed look around (a disconcerted type of
gaze) is best for finding folds. You want to give off the
impression that you are super calm. Don’t kick back in your
chair and start chatting, just stay focused whilst remaining
poised.

If you like to shuffle and play with your chips, make sure
you aren’t fumbling around. This type of nervousness will be
immediately apparent, and it’s also the reason why fake nervous
shuffling is a great way to get calls. I wouldn’t generally
advise playing with chips at all, but if you have your head
leaning against your hand, it could make you appear more
relaxed. Playing with chips is a risky way to induce folds as it
can easily backfire.

Speaking

Talking your way into a fold is much easier said than done,
no pun intended. You’ll need to have a lot of experience in
these spots if you want to get a feel for what truly works. It’s hard to wing it in these situations because you are going to
be so prone to making massive mistakes that destroy your chances
of success. Everyone isn’t like World Series of Poker Champion
Jamie Gold at the table in that they can’t coerce opponents to
fold seemingly on command. The problem for many players is that
they think they are displaying their “skills” when they try to
use table talk to influence decisions. While there is a chance
it could work, there’s a better chance that it won’t.

If you absolutely have your heart set on talking in order to
try and get folds from opponents, you should always make sure
your thoughts are pre-meditated. Think about how you would react
if someone said the same thing to you. Don’t get caught up in
the moment and start spurting things that could hurt you.

Asking someone what they have and making guesses as to their
holdings tends to work a lot more often than you might imagine.
As you guess hands, players tend to be less and less
comfortable. The reason for this is because it makes it seem as
though you do truly want a call. Players who want calls (and
think their opponent might fold) like to talk more and more as
time goes on, taking a shot at getting what they want (a call).
To say that this strategy is fool proof would be a lie,
but it’s going to work more often than most other lines at the
table.

When it comes down to it, talking to your opponents is going
to require a unique approach for each and every player. Your
particular style of play coupled with your history and table
dynamics will ultimately define what type of table talk is best
for you. If there’s one thing to remember, it’s that there’s
a fine line between genius talk and absolute disaster. If you
cross that line even by an inch, you can very well be in a world
of trouble.