Whenever an opponent raises, it’s time to rethink the hand you’re playing. It can sound an alarm or be a cause for joy and celebration. It all depends on whether your opponent’s raise tells you their hand is better than yours. Or, they’re doing just what you hoped for: betting right into your monster hand.

Facing a raise can elicit differing responses – depending on which betting round it occurs – whether you’re playing in a fixed-limit, pot-limit or no-limit cash game, or a tournament. Depending on how you interpret things, there are only three choices once you’ve been raised: you’ll fold, call, or re-raise.