What does it mean in poker to go "all-in"?

[ProGambler]

What does it mean in poker to go "all-in"?

Going "all-in" in poker describes a scenario where a player wagers all of their remaining chips or cash on a specific hand. A player effectively risks their whole chip stack when they go all-in, throwing all of their available chips into the pot.

When a player has a great hand and wants to maximise their potential earnings or when they have a small chip stack and want to try to double up or survive in a tournament, they will often go all-in. It can also be a tactical move to provide pressure on adversaries and possibly induce them to show weakness by raising their hands.

 

[CR7]

However, going all-in comes with a great risk – if they lose the hand, they're out of the game or tournament. Also, some poker games have a maximum all-in bet - a maximum amount that a player can put at risk, which can differ from one game to another.

If a player goes all-in and another player calls, the all-in player puts everything at stake, and the other player must match the all-in wager to be eligible for the pot. In case the other player can't match the bet, the remaining chips in front of that player will form a secondary pot that can only be won by the remaining players not involved in the all-in wager.

Furthermore, if the all-in player wins the pot, they receive full control of all chips in it. If the player loses, they're eliminated from the game, except in some cases where they may be allowed to buy back in for another cost.

In summary, going all-in is a high risk, high reward poker move that players use to maximize their potential earnings, put pressure on opponents, or to try to survive in a tournament or game.