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Once in a while, my post flop cards are so bad (no chance of making a hand), that, if, I am light into the pot, I will simply fold to a check....I don't want to be in the hand...maybe I need to go to the restroom...something...but playing the hand is trouble relative to the potential win.

I had a house tournament manager tell me that this was not OK...that it was an illegal fold.

Folding to a check is illegal ?

I can see in the WSOP rules that folding to a check is considered a binding fold, but I cant see that its illegal.

I dont see how it affects the hand in any way if I fold to a check.

Additionally, what if I got forced to fold in that situation by someone calling time on me ? (weird, yes, but its possible according the the rule book)

Please help me understand.

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Yes, this is acting out of turn, and unfair to other players. Floormen will usually just give warnings, but if the behavior continues, you could be ejected from the game.

Look at it from your opponents' point of view: Player A checks, you fold, now player B has to act--from his point of view, you have given player A information that he is not yet entitled to, harming B's chances to win. Perhaps, for example, player B opens: player A is now in last position to that bet, and may call with hands that he might have folded with a player yet to act behind him.

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    Also... your giving up overall edge in your game when you fold without action.
    – Jon ♦
    Nov 3, 2019 at 20:52
  • would folding if you are first to act still be unfair to the other players?
    – Clarko
    Nov 5, 2019 at 23:25
  • Absolutely. Understanding the value of information and player position are fundamental and critical concepts. If you don't understand them well enough to understand what's wrong with early folding, then you really have no business playing poker.
    – Lee Daniel Crocker
    Nov 5, 2019 at 23:46
  • "you have given player A information that he is not yet entitled to" . OK, I hear you, but how is that different from raising or checking ? If I raise, I have given player A info. If I check, I have given player A info. Anything I do gives players that acted before me the same info as players acting after me. And the point about folding if you are first to act is a good one....you've disadvantaged no body. If I simply sat and had the clock called on me, I would be forced to fold. Some years ago, the on line poker systems let you fold anytime you wanted . FWIW
    – Scott Martin
    Nov 7, 2019 at 19:42
  • I can only explain, I can't make you understand...
    – Lee Daniel Crocker
    Nov 7, 2019 at 20:43
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Been playing over 20+ years. The only thing folding says is... I don't want to play this hand. It's my money, my time and my option. I think it's a dumb rule to make me stay in a hand I don't want to play. When I play, I'm not trying to aid players before or behind me. Also in tourneys, where time is running, the faster the game is played, the more hands can be seen with smaller Blinds. Now, if this rule is stated to limit the appearance of collusion, then maybe.

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