A hero fold refers to the action taken by a poker player when they choose to fold a hand that would usually warrant a call due to its strength, driven by a strong belief that their hand is not competitive enough.
For instance, consider a situation in No-Limit Hold'em where a player hits a set on the flop while holding 100 big blinds. In most cases, it would be unusual for a player with a set to fold at this depth. Nevertheless, if this player suspects that their opponent has a higher set, they might opt for a hero fold after facing substantial betting.
In this article, we will explore several key points -
What is a Hero Fold in Poker?
Hero folding happens when a player relinquishes a relatively strong hand that usually would merit a call, as most opponents would be quite surprised to learn that such a solid hand was folded.
Why Do Players Hero Fold in Poker?
Players tend to employ hero folds in poker when they are convinced their adversary holds a stronger hand that surpasses their own. This belief often arises from patterns in their opponent's behavior or specific tells observed throughout the game. A famous example from the film Rounders is when the main character, Mike, executes a hero fold after recognizing Teddy KGB's habit of eating Oreos when he has a powerful hand.
How Does Hero Folding Differ from Hero Calling?
A hero fold is characterized by folding a hand that would typically be worthy of a call due to its inherent strength, in contrast to a hero call , which refers to making a call with a hand that ideally should have been folded because it is weak. Essentially, we engage in hero folds when we suspect that an opponent possesses a very strong hand, while we make hero calls when we are convinced our opponent is bluffing.
Is Hero Folding an Effective Strategy in Poker?
Hero folding is usually considered a high-risk move because it involves letting go of strong hands that, according to traditional poker theory, would generally warrant a call. Successfully executing a hero fold requires a deep understanding of the opponent's tendencies. If done incorrectly, it can harm our overall win rate, which is why it is often advised to practice hero folding sparingly unless we are quite confident in our decision.
Summary
Implementing hero folding can potentially enhance our win rate if we have a clear understanding of our opponents and their typical behaviors. However, caution is necessary, as attempting hero folds at inappropriate moments can significantly hurt our win rate. It is advisable that hero folding should not be a common practice, given that the theoretically sound choice is to call when we hold a hand of adequate strength.