Poker glossary

Open Shove In Tournament Poker

Learn what an open shove is and why short-stack tournament players move all-in first into the pot.

Definition

An open shove is moving all-in as the first voluntary action before the flop.

Open shoving can maximize fold equity, simplify short-stack decisions, and prevent opponents from realizing equity cheaply.

A5s on the button at 10BB after folds to hero is a classic open-shove candidate in many tournament structures.

Open shoving too deep, where a smaller raise would keep worse hands in and preserve strategic flexibility.

Related terms

Push/fold strategy means deciding mainly between moving all-in or folding, usually at shallow stack depths.

Fold equity is the value you gain when opponents fold and you win the pot without needing to show down the best hand.

Blockers are cards in your hand that reduce the number of strong hands your opponents can have.

FAQ

Is an open shove the same as a re-shove?

No. An open shove is first into the pot. A re-shove happens after another player has already opened.

Why not min-raise short stacks?

Sometimes min-raising is good, but at very short stacks shoving can be cleaner because it applies maximum pressure immediately.