Fold

The term fold in poker stands for a player’s decision to discard their cards, surrendering whatever chips they may have put in the pot up to that point, and removing themselves from any future actions in that particular hand.

Once a player folds, the dealer will take their cards, put them in the muck (the discard pile), and the hand will play out without them. Once a hand is folded, it can no longer be retrieved.

There are a couple of ways you can make your intention to fold clear to the dealer and the rest of the table. You can make a verbal announcement, saying the word “fold,” or you can throw your cards towards the middle of the table.

Once you clearly announce the fold, there is no going back. You can’t change your mind a few seconds later and ask for your cards back. Folding is a final decision that ends your involvement in a hand.

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