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An important gambling strategy, which is popularly used in poker games, is protection play. When a gambler opts for protection play, it means he has a decent hand with the chance that it is vulnerable and not strong enough. In this case, the gambler may lay a bet that would either induce his opponents to fold or to call at a time when pot odds are favoring the gambler and not his opponent. In this way by protection play, it is profitable for the gambler. However, if it turns out that the protection ploy fail, then the gambler’s opponent gets the advantage and his made hand becomes useless.

The main difference between protection play and bluffing play is that unlike in the latter situation, the player does not depend only on the opponent’s decision to fold and can also go for a showdown if necessary; only his hand is not strong enough and he cannot opt for slow play.

The application of protection play tactics is evident in games with several players. A case in point is when a player has a decent hand but may be beaten by a combined hand of his opponents when each of them draws an out, although individually they cannot beat the player. In this case the player may go for protection play, whereby the wager he lays can induce one or several to fold and if any opponent still remain for a showdown, the player’s odds of winning becomes better.

When a gambler is playing all-in and an opponent puts such a bet on the table that many players in the game folds, it is advantage for the all-in player who now has lesser number of opponents to beat. This is an example of indirect protection play. Another form of protection sometimes used by poker players is when they put an object like a specialty chip on his cards to prevent the dealer from taking away his cards by mistake or fouls committed when discarded cards get mixed up with player’s cards.