What does it mean to shove In the context of poker, shoving is akin to going all-in, where you place all your chips or cash into the pot.
For instance, if you're holding a pair of aces, A♦A♠, you're likely waiting for the perfect moment to go all-in and potentially double your stack.
In reporting on poker tournaments, you might come across phrases like: Dominik Nitsche, a representative for 888poker, shoved all-in for 1.4 million, while Martin Jacobson, the champion of the 2014 World Series of Main Event, paused before making his decision to fold. Poker Going all-in can be a powerful strategy that often leads to winning the pot. However, it raises the question: Why not shove every hand? As the saying goes: \"It works until it doesn't.\" Eventually, an opponent will call your bluff, and if your hand isn’t strong enough, you may find yourself eliminated.
Table of Contents
WORKS EVERY TIME UNTIL THE LAST TIME
The more frequently you shove, the less credibility you will have with your opponents regarding the strength of your hand. If you overdo it, they may become more inclined to call you down.
Consider the shove as a key weapon in your poker strategy. It can be incredibly effective, but timing is crucial for its successful deployment. If you wield this weapon too recklessly, your opponents may lose their fear of you. call you with weaker hands.
There are numerous reasons why you might opt to shove in a poker game. It could be an attempt to double up your stack or perhaps to challenge the resolve of your opponents.
WHEN TO SHOVE IN TOURNAMENT POKER
Typically, players tend to shove when they find themselves with a short stack, often around 10 big blinds or fewer. With limited chips, your options become restricted, leading to the choice of either going all-in or folding. For example, with 10,000 chips at the 500/1,000/100 level while holding A♦Q♠, it's likely that you'll choose to shove.
Conversely, players with larger stacks might shove to exert pressure on those with smaller stacks, who could risk their tournament life. Imagine a scenario where 40,000 chips are already in the pot, and you have the 10♥9♥ on a board showing 10♦J♣2♥5♦, with 35,000 chips remaining. If a player with a 150,000-chip stack moves all-in, you’re in a tough spot. blinds Understanding the right moments to commit all your chips can make a significant difference in your game's effectiveness, particularly when you can pick up blinds and antes without facing resistance. By shoving, you can also prevent unnecessary losses of chips.
For example, if you make a raise with A♥10♣ and the player in the big blind decides to call, how will you react when the flop reveals 5♣6♦7♠ and your opponent bets? Had you chosen to shove preflop, you might have successfully taken down the blinds, but now you're vulnerable to losing valuable chips.
BENEFITS OF SHOVING
The best times to shove typically occur when you are in a later position. The later you act, the better your odds of achieving a successful shove since there are fewer players left to make decisions. If you’re at a full table and push from the button, only the two players in the blinds have the chance to respond. limping and raising , only to fold on a later street.
Shoving from an early position (UTG, UTG+1 & UTG+2) carries more risk compared to doing so from a middle position (MP1, lojack & hijack). Your safest bets for shoving are from late positions such as the cutoff or the button. Meanwhile, opportunities to shove from the small or big blind are limited, as you would be the last to act by then.
THE POWER OF POSITION
Having a completed hand is not a prerequisite for going all-in. If you're equipped with sufficient audacity, you can shove even when you have nothing. under the gun The strategy of representing a stronger hand than you actually hold, often referred to as bluffing, is a key element of poker, and shoving provides a compelling avenue to execute this tactic.
Semi-bluffing – whereby you lack a completed hand but possess a good chance of improving – can prove particularly effective. Ideally, your opponent folds, allowing you to claim the pot. However, even if they call, you may still improve your position to win.
SHOVING AS A BLUFF/SEMI BLUFF
A great example of a semi-bluff is when an ambassador of 888poker shoves on a 4♥5♥6♠ flop while holding A♥7♥. Although he doesn’t yet have a completed hand, he possesses an open-ended draw and stands a good chance of achieving the best hand on the turn or river. Poker bluffing If you currently hold the nuts or a hand you believe is the best, you might want to contemplate shoving for value, which is often referred to as a value shove. It’s a strategy for maximizing your potential winnings.
Shoving as a semi-bluff For instance, consider a situation where you have the 7♣6♣ on a 5♣K♠8♣9♣K♦ board, with the action escalating between you and two other opponents. There's a plausible chance that those opponents, who likely have larger stacks, are holding strong hands such as an ace-high flush. If there is 300,000 in the pot and your stack is at 450,000, a value shove could be wise. If your opponents have decent hands, they are likely to pay your shoving bet.
A delayed value shove involves waiting to make your all-in move until your opponent has the opportunity to strengthen their own hand. For example, if you are holding 7♦7♠ and the flop brings 7♥3♥3♣, creating a full house for you, an immediate shove may scare away your opponents. Instead, playing it slow could allow them to catch a good hand, increasing your chances of seeing action. straight and flush An open shove is characterized as the act of going all-in as the first player to either enter the pot or make a move on the flop. By doing so, you initiate the action by making a shove instead of a smaller raise.
SHOVING FOR VALUE
A re-shove occurs when you push all-in in response to a player who has already gone all-in. For instance, if Moorman shoves for 4,000 from the cutoff with the blinds at 200/400/50, Jacobson might respond by re-shoving for 12,000 from the button. overbet to the pot, most often by pushing all-in.
Often, a re-shove is intended to isolate a single opponent. In this scenario, if Jacobson simply calls Moorman's all-in, he may inadvertently invite other players into the pot. By re-shoving, he focuses the action on Moorman only. full house , or even quads A re-shove typically signifies that the player has a strong holding. This is based on the assumption that the original shover has a respectable hand, sufficient enough to warrant an all-in. By going over the top, the re-shover effectively conveys they hold a very strong hand and are unafraid to commit it to the pot against the original shover. straight flush .
Imagine a scenario where an ambassador of 888poker, with a stack of 240,000, raises to 25,000 from an early position with K♥J♥. Parker \"Tonkaaaa\" Talbot, holding A♣A♦ in the hijack position, might choose to call in hopes of a short-stacked player going all-in behind. His limping strategy could be designed with the intention of shoving if action reopens.
WHAT IS AN OPEN SHOVE?
If a player indeed pushes all-in for 50,000 and Lönvgren calls, Talbot can then execute a back shove by going all-in himself. Although more complex to pull off, back shoves often lead to winning considerable pots. Caution is advisable if witnessing another player perform a back shove, as this usually indicates strength.
WHAT IS A RE-SHOVE?
According to Josh Reichard, a renowned nine-time WSOP Circuit ring winner: \"When you call an open or limp, and after a raise, the initial player folds, and you shove, that play is recognized as a back shove. This move is mostly prevalent on the East Coast.\"
The bubble stage in a tournament is the critical juncture at which one or more players must exit before reaching the money. If you plan to shove at this point, ensure you have a solid justification for doing so. Pushing all-in and losing could mean being the bubble boy, leaving you with nothing.
Most players with short stacks tend to steer clear of shoving during the bubble unless they possess a particularly strong hand. They understand they are likely to be called by opponents aiming to burst the bubble. The distinction between bubbling and making it to the money highlights the need to take calculated risks.
WHAT IS A BACK SHOVE?
Be mindful of the stack sizes before you decide to shove. Going all-in against players with large stacks raises the likelihood of being called. Conversely, shoving against short-stacked players tends to lead to folds.
Let’s imagine the player in the small blind Additionally, consider the way you are perceived at the table. If you frequently enter pots and shove, your opponents may be more likely to dismiss your moves. Consequently, they might call you with weaker hands. monster Chad Holloway
On the other hand, maintaining a tight image at the table can inspire respect, leading opponents to hesitate before calling. You should leverage this image effectively, which allows for shoving even with weaker hands. Your opponents may still attribute significant strength to you, enabling you to win crucial chips.
Share
What does it mean to shove Commonly referred to as a Push Fold Chart, a Poker Shove Chart assists players with short stacks in determining when to shove or fold in various poker situations.
A standard chart outlines a broad range of hands, while more specialized charts and applications (such as Max Silver’s SnapShove) provide further analyses based on factors like table dynamics and player positions. Poker Here's a practical Poker Shove Chart tailored for those operating with less than a 10-big-blind stack.
Table of Contents
Chad Holloway is a winner of a WSOP Bracelet from 2013 and has previously served as a managing editor and live reporter for PokerNews.
888poker-EGR-logo-Mobile-Header-2021-white
888poker-EGR-logo-Mobile-Header-2022-white
WORKS EVERY TIME UNTIL THE LAST TIME
Virtual Global Digital Services Limited and VDSL (International) Limited hold licenses issued by the Gibraltar Licensing Authority and operate under the regulations set forth by the Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner.
These companies are authorized to provide online gambling services as per Gibraltar law (Remote Gaming License Numbers 112 and 113), but cannot guarantee the legality of these services in other regions.
Should you have registered from Canada, the services are offered through VDSL (International) Limited.