Crying Call
Calling a bet when you believe you are probably beaten, but the pot odds make folding a clear mistake.
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What Is Crying Call?
A crying call typically happens on the river when a player faces a large bet and reads their opponent for a likely stronger hand, yet the pot has grown large enough that even a small chance of winning -- or of catching a bluff -- makes calling the mathematically correct decision. This reflects the important poker principle that decisions should be based on pot odds and win probability rather than pure confidence, since folding too often against value bets is a costly long-term leak. Making a crying call and losing doesn't necessarily mean it was the wrong decision, since the profitability of the call depends on the frequency of bluffs in that spot over the long run.
Examples
Facing a large river bet with a decent but unspectacular hand, a player makes a crying call, getting great pot odds despite suspecting they're beat.
A player calls a river shove with second pair as a crying call, needing to be right only a small percentage of the time given the pot size.
Strategy Tips
Calculate the pot odds you're being offered before deciding whether a crying call is justified, since you often only need a small chance of being ahead to make the call profitable. Consider your opponent's bluffing frequency in that specific spot, since some players and situations warrant more suspicion of a bluff than others. Don't let ego or the discomfort of losing a big pot push you into calling when the math clearly favors folding, or into folding when the math favors calling. Track results of your crying calls over a large sample to evaluate whether your calling frequency in these spots is well-calibrated.