All-In
Going all-in means betting or calling with every chip you have remaining. In no-limit hold'em, any player can go all-in at any time. This is the highest-pressure action in poker and is especially common in tournaments as stacks get shorter.
Going all-in is the defining feature of no-limit poker. When you push all your chips into the middle, you cannot be forced out of the hand by further betting. If other players continue betting, a side pot is created. In MTT poker, the all-in decision is critically important because losing means elimination, while winning often means a significant chip boost. There are several strategic reasons to go all-in preflop. With a short stack (under 15bb), your options narrow to either shoving or folding. At this depth, the math favors pushing a wider range rather than min-raising, because you maximize fold equity while still having decent equity when called. With a deeper stack, all-in preflop usually happens as the culmination of a raising war: open, 3-bet, 4-bet, 5-bet shove. ICM pressure makes all-in decisions in tournaments very different from cash games. Near the bubble or at a final table, going all-in with a marginal hand risks your tournament life for small gains. Conversely, the threat of elimination makes your all-in shoves more effective as bluffs because opponents are reluctant to call and risk busting. Push-fold charts exist precisely for this reason, mapping out the mathematically optimal shoving range for every position and stack size. Understanding all-in equity is also essential. When you are all-in and called, the hand runs to showdown with no further decisions, so the pure equity of your hand against the caller's range determines your expected outcome.
Concrete example
RangerPro's push-fold ranges at 10bb show how wide you should shove from each position. For instance, from the BTN at 10bb, the all-in range includes any pocket pair, most aces, suited kings, and a variety of suited connectors, totaling roughly 40% of all hands.
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help Frequently Asked Questions
When should I go all-in preflop in a tournament? expand_more
You should go all-in preflop when your effective stack is short enough that a standard raise would commit too many chips (typically under 15bb). You also go all-in with premium hands at any stack depth as the final raise in a 4-bet or 5-bet sequence. ICM considerations, your position, and your opponents' tendencies all factor into the decision.
What is the difference between shoving and calling all-in? expand_more
Shoving (being the aggressor) gives you two ways to win: your opponents can fold, or you can win at showdown. Calling all-in only gives you the showdown route. This is why your shoving range should be wider than your calling range at any given stack depth.
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