Basic Actions

Fold, call, raise, check, and all-in — when and why to use each.

On every street, each active player chooses one of five actions when it's their turn. Understanding exactly when each action is available — and what it costs — is fundamental.

The 5 actions

Fold

When: Your hand has little chance of winning and the cost to continue is too high.

Effect: You surrender your cards and any chips already invested. You cannot win this hand.

Check

When: No bet has been made in the current street yet (or you are in the BB preflop facing no raise).

Effect: Pass the action to the next player at no cost. You stay in the hand.

Call

When: A bet has been made and you want to match it to continue.

Effect: You match the bet amount and the action moves to the next player.

Raise

When: You have a strong hand or want to put pressure on opponents.

Effect: You increase the bet. All other players must call, re-raise, or fold.

All-In

When: You want to commit all your remaining chips — or you are forced to (not enough chips to call).

Effect: You stake all remaining chips. Side pots form if multiple players go all-in.

Check vs Call: Check is free and only available when nobody has bet yet. Call matches an existing bet. You cannot check if someone has bet before you — you must call, raise, or fold.

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