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Calling Station (Poker)
A 'calling station' in poker is a term used to describe a relatively low skilled player who only ever seems to call bets, with little regard to the strength of hand. This is seen upon as a losing proposition, not only because you are reducing your chance of winning the pot, but also because it is easy to extract money from you.
Of course, a calling station will occasionally win the odd hand, given the nature of the game. In Texas Holdem, for instance, there is an element of luck. The part that one can control is the starting hands and how you choose to play your cards. You will have no idea what community cards will come out, here enters the element of luck. The first three cards that are dealt on the flop might not make you your hand. This is where calling stations make too many low value calls. What i mean is that, they are odds on to lose the hand but make the call in the hope of hitting one or more of their cards.
The reason that this is a losing proposition is that, most of the time, you will not have best hand and as such you will be throwing chips away consistently chasing cards. In addition, in Holdem, it is seen as a much stronger play, raising the call, as opposed to making the call. Reason being that, you have more chance of winning. First of all, your opponents could all fold and you would win the pot or you could hit one of your cards to make a winning hand.
A Calling Station - How to play against one
Playing against a calling station is easy but you have to remember that they are labeled a 'calling station' as they call to many bets and chase cards. You therefore want to extract as much money as possible. You should tighten up your starting hand requirements. By playing premium hands, when you hit on the flop, you will be able to extract much more than if you were playing trash hands. Bluffing against this type of player you should also be more careful with.
These players are like low limit holdem players and you should have a strategy to match. Expect them to make the call, and bet accordingly. They will likely call with any sniff of a winning hand. You will get paid off particularly well when you hit your trips, particularly if they have top pair. A word of warning - don't play a bluffing game against these players, as they are not good enough to know when they are beat and will likely call you down. If you are going to bluff, play speculative hands that have a good chance of improving. Make sure you have the best hand at showdown.
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