Whenever one plays a poker session, he or she often experiences the folding feeling.  The folding feeling means knowing when to lay down a hand because you realize that you’re beat.  Many people refer to this feeling as "going with your gut". Unless your best friends with Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, and have him sitting in your refrigerator (like the beer commercial), it’s solely up to you to make the final decision.  Many times the folding feeling presents itself preflop.  However, it’s hard to fold paint during preflop play, even if you get the feeling that your opponent has better cards.  My advice: get out of the way as soon as possible whenever this feeling phases through your mind.  Hopefully, when the folding feeling sets in, your chip stack didn't suffer to bad of a blow. 

Good players know when to fold and when to pick off bluffs.  If you rise huge with a solid or premium hand, get called, and face tons of pressure after the flop, one truly has to analyze the situation and recognize if there beat.  For example: if Player A is holding pocket kings and raises four times the big blind, and attracts two callers, Player A must recognize he or she is not the only one that has a made hand.  If the flop shows any ace, more than likely Player A is already getting the folding feeling. 

There are two ways to receive the folding feeling:

1. You're opponent gives it to you. (Through tells, betting patterns, irrelevant chatting, etc).
2. You feel it within your mind.

Some players are simply afraid to lay big hands down; often saying "I would have to quit playing if I laid this one down..."  The fact is, you don’t have to quit playing poker!  Instead, go with your gut and make the decision you feel is best.  If a poker player takes the game seriously, he or she understands the value of the folding feeling.  It can save you a lot of money over the long run.  Overall, having this feeling bolsters ones play poker and often makes him better than others who do not get this feeling.