Cold Call
A cold call is calling a bet and a raise in one action, without having put any chips in before.
The simple explanation
You cold call when you have not yet acted in the round and call two or more bets at once. For example, someone raises, another player re-raises, and you call the total. You pay for both players' bets without having invested before. As a beginner, remember that a cold call puts you in a hand against two players with strong hands. Folding is often fine.
A closer look
Cold calling is harder than calling a single raise, because two players have shown strength and others may still act behind you. It is often considered a weaker play than raising or folding. It does have uses, such as in position with a hand that plays well after the flop. Strategy articles often tell players to cold call less than they would instinctively like to. Position matters. A cold call in position is better than one out of position, because you can act last after the flop.
A practical example
Player A raises to 6 and Player B re-raises to 20. Player C, who has not acted yet, calls 20 in one action. This is a cold call.
Full explanation
A cold call is calling a bet and a raise in one action, without having put any chips in before.
A cold call means calling a bet and one or more raises without having previously called or bet in the round. The caller pays the combined amount in a single action.
The term describes the situation of the player who acts after a raise and a re-raise. The word ‘cold’ stresses that the caller has not put chips in earlier.
A cold call is different from calling a single bet and then calling a raise. In the second case, you already had chips in, so you are not cold.
Players cold call with hands that are too good to fold but not strong enough to re-raise. Because it is easy to get squeezed or outplayed, the play is used with care.
Alternative spelling: cold-call, coldcall
A cold call
No-limit Hold’em · Blinds 1/2 chips · No rake
The blinds are 1 and 2 chips.
Read the example transcript
Player C has the button (BTN). Player D posts the 1-chip small blind (SB). Player E posts the 2-chip big blind (BB).
- Preflop · Pot: 3 chips
The blinds are 1 and 2 chips.
- Player C BTN AAce of hearts (Ah)JJack of diamonds (Jd) · Stack 200 · In this round 0
- Player D SB 88 of spades (8s)33 of clubs (3c) · Stack 199 · In this round 1
- Player E BB 99 of diamonds (9d)44 of hearts (4h) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Player A KKing of clubs (Kc)QQueen of clubs (Qc) · Stack 200 · In this round 0
- Player B AAce of spades (As)AAce of diamonds (Ad) · Stack 200 · In this round 0
- Preflop · Pot: 9 chips
Player A is first to act and raises to 6.
- Player C BTN AAce of hearts (Ah)JJack of diamonds (Jd) · Stack 200 · In this round 0
- Player D SB 88 of spades (8s)33 of clubs (3c) · Stack 199 · In this round 1
- Player E BB 99 of diamonds (9d)44 of hearts (4h) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Player A KKing of clubs (Kc)QQueen of clubs (Qc) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Player B AAce of spades (As)AAce of diamonds (Ad) · Stack 200 · In this round 0
- Preflop · Pot: 29 chips
Player B re-raises to 20.
- Player C BTN AAce of hearts (Ah)JJack of diamonds (Jd) · Stack 200 · In this round 0
- Player D SB 88 of spades (8s)33 of clubs (3c) · Stack 199 · In this round 1
- Player E BB 99 of diamonds (9d)44 of hearts (4h) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Player A KKing of clubs (Kc)QQueen of clubs (Qc) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Player B AAce of spades (As)AAce of diamonds (Ad) · Stack 180 · In this round 20
- Preflop · Pot: 49 chips
Player C has not put chips in yet. He calls 20 in one action, paying for both Player A's raise and Player B's re-raise. This is a cold call.
- Player C BTN AAce of hearts (Ah)JJack of diamonds (Jd) · Stack 180 · In this round 20
- Player D SB 88 of spades (8s)33 of clubs (3c) · Stack 199 · In this round 1
- Player E BB 99 of diamonds (9d)44 of hearts (4h) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Player A KKing of clubs (Kc)QQueen of clubs (Qc) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Player B AAce of spades (As)AAce of diamonds (Ad) · Stack 180 · In this round 20
Cards are shown for learning; totals are displayed before pot collection.