Call

Calling is one of the three basic actions in poker (along with folding and raising), but it is often the most misunderstood. Many recreational players call too often, a tendency known as 'calling station' play. However, strategic calling is an essential part of a balanced poker approach. Preflop, calling an open-raise (flatting) is appropriate with hands that are too strong to fold but not strong enough to 3-bet for value, and that play well postflop. From position, hands like suited connectors, medium pocket pairs, and suited broadways are natural flats. They have good implied odds, meaning that when they hit the flop hard, they can win a large pot. Calling from out of position is generally less desirable because you surrender the informational advantage. This is why ranges from the big blind include many calls (since the money is already invested) but ranges from other positions prefer raising or folding. The concept of 'capped ranges' relates to calling. When you flat a raise instead of 3-betting, your range is perceived as capped, meaning it typically does not include the very strongest hands like AA or KK. Observant opponents exploit this by putting pressure on you postflop. In tournament poker, calling carries the risk of seeing a squeeze from a player behind you, which can put you in an awkward spot with a hand too strong to fold but not strong enough to call a large raise. For this reason, calling in early position or in multiway situations requires a tighter range than in heads-up pots.