What is a cold call in poker?

A cold call is calling a raise when you haven’t put any money in the pot yet in that betting round, for example calling an open raise from the cutoff. It looks safe, but cold calling has risks: players behind you can squeeze, and you play the hand without the initiative. Cold call with hands that play well in position; otherwise 3-bet or fold.

Example

UTG opens to 2.5 BB, you call on the button. That’s a cold call. If you were the big blind, calling would be a defend, not a cold call, because you already posted a blind.

Risks of cold calling

Squeezes: the blinds can 3-bet big, and you’ll often have to fold. See squeeze.
No initiative: you can’t c-bet.
Capped range: opponents know you’d usually 3-bet your best hands.

Good hands to cold call (in position)

Pocket pairs for set mining, when stacks are deep.
Suited connectors and suited broadways. See suited connectors.
Strong hands you want to keep in position, against tight raisers, like A-Q suited or J-J sometimes.

When to 3-bet or fold instead

Out of position (from the small blind): usually 3-bet or fold. See small blind strategy.
With weak offsuit hands like K-J or A-10 offsuit against early-position raises: often fold; you’re dominated.
Against late-position openers who raise wide: 3-bet more instead of calling. See 3-bet.

Cold 4-bet

A cold 4-bet is a 4-bet from a player who hasn’t entered the pot yet. At low stakes it’s almost always A-A or K-K. See 4-bet.

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