When to show them?

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kknutt17

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So what is the rule of thumb on showing cards after a hand. I have seen many people do it to make the opponents feel ignorant. But I've also seen some show them to show that they did indeed have the nuts. So when should you show them, or should you never show them. I have a tendency to not show them at all. . .ever. Is there any time when it my be prudent?
 
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Sasskesse

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You can manipulate your image by showing. If you show good hands, you accumulate more folding equity which increases the chance to pick pots. That can be good in tournaments.

If you show bluffs, I think this is bad in tournaments since you will get called more often and lose more often in the future. If you don't get that one big hand in time, this costs chips.

But if in doubt, don't show.
 
OzExorcist

OzExorcist

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People do it for a few different reasons:

- To try to establish an image
- To put their opponents on tilt
- To encourage others to show their cards

The last one is more common in live games, a "C'mon everyone else is doing it" type of thing.

I might show a hand live, for any one of the above reasons. But I don't even have the option set up online.
 
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Santos1950

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In my opinion its not a good deal show your cards when you are playing online, but depending how you are perceived at the table you can occasionally show them exactly the opposite type of cards that you are suppose to be playing, for example: if you have a tight image its not a bad deal show them some bluffs, showing them that u can change your gears at any moment of the game.
 
dj11

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Generally, never show.

I however enjoy seeing any Royal, and I think I probably have shown all mine, and appreciate when others show theirs. Showing a Royal is nothing other than a social grace. It takes no talent whatsoever to get dealt a royal and so showing it will not affect your table image other than it might get others thinking you have a 4 leaf clover in your pocket.:D
 
arahel_jazz

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Once in awhile playing live I'll show Aces or Kings, particularly if I'm in the big blind and get a walk. I'd show a royal... if I ever got one.

Other than that - I never show on-line because I keep the auto-muck on.
 
tpb221

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Every time you show your cards, you give your opponents valuable information. Why give it to them? You might think your projecting a certain image but you opponents my not be buying it. Do you really think that your going to get ALL the other people at the table to think the way you want them to? Not happenning. It takes just one to gather another piece of information on your game to take you down.
 
ratmantoo

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I gave to disagree with you tpb.

Showing cards is giving the opponent information however we can use this to manipulate the opponents perception of our play.

For instance I have a number of super LAG players at our local site and if I show a couple of my big hands, not only do they stop those ridiculous all in bets with average hands, but I can get them to fold more often than not. In this case giving them "information" gets them to label me as super tight and they change thier play to my advantage.

However with saying that , showing your cards should only be used as another weapon in your arsenal or a social grace (nice wording DJ :p) and + to Sasskesse - if in doubt, don't show
 
ythelongface

ythelongface

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i normally only show if i have a big hand. in the long run, showing too much can help your opponents as much as you. make em pay if they wanna see.
 
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grunta0

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I rarely show because IMO it is better to keep them guessing than to give out information however, if I am on a tight table, and doing a lot of stealing, I will occasionally show a premium pair. (If I get one.)
 
SusieP

SusieP

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NEVER!!! unless its a friendly game and you wanna be nice. Showing bluffs does no good, unless they are tilting already, which then maybe, but be careful they will start calling you with zip
 
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chrismonk123

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i show everynow and again because it can help change your image or just tilt another player for making such a bad call in folding!
 
TiltMonkey999

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I believe you should show you only in cash games not tournaments..because they might be able to catch you later..i personally like to do it when i get them so bad and i want them to suffer. haha..but yea..thats when you show i think
Take Care
Ray
 
Theblueduce

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I do not show my cards at all. I have never liked the idea but understand the concept of why some do....I want to keep my opponets guessing....
 
IveGot0uts

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You should never do anything at a poker table if you can't give a well reasoned reason for doing it. In my opinion at an online table it's virtually impossible to peg your opponents level of thinking, so it's virtually impossible to know how your show will affect all of your various opponenets. Also, if you're multi-tabling it's nearly impossible to keep a mental rolodex of player levels, if you can peg them, and how you've used them all. Sometimes in a live game if I'm feeling like I'm in everyone's head well enough I'll use a show to manipulate image, but it's important to remember that if you have thinking opponents who are giving you credit for being a thinking opponent then you might not have the desired effect, which could be very very bad if you assume that you've outfoxed people and blow off a stack on a bluff, or overbet and make them fold because they didn't just think you were a donk like you'd hoped. All the thought that goes in makes me inclined to say just don't show, at least not if you can't give a well reasoned reason for doing it to say more than half of the opponents at the table. And remember who you don't know what effect your move has had, and watch, and maybe learn what effect, which will give you information on how they are playing beyond just that. Hope all that was clear, game theory has a nifty way of convoluting things.
 
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bestbefoldin

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online i don't even have the option set up to show
in a live game sometimes its fun to show just because you have an interaction with the other players, but online, forget it.
 
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gra605

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Playing live, I will show my hand in the early stages only - and only where its the nuts or close to. Will never, ever show a bluff, I want that fold equity.
 
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toybits

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showing cards with the intention of 'manipulating' your opp is kinda difficult, you''re not even sure it will have the intended effect. if you show your bluff to a bluffer, will it prevent bluffs or will it make him bluff more? unless you really know how your opponent will react to it, it would be better not to show imo
 
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bigjay2007

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I mainly show good hands when I'm playing at an agressive table and want to keep m y opponents at bay. Otherwise I don't tend to show that much
 
absoluthamm

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For me it completely depends on the table: is it loose/tight/conservative/aggressive? ; how have the opponents been betting? ; have any of them showed their hands/what where they?/How have others reacted toward it?.

Basically, for me it really doesn't matter what my hand is. I really won't show any hands down for a while after joining a game until I can figure some of the questions out and get a general feel for the table.

Also, if I am playing with a bunch of people that I play with often. Many times I will be able to skip a lot of those questions and what I try to do sometimes is show the cards that would indicate I was playing the same style as the last time I was playing with them, but play the opposite. It will usually work for a little while until they catch on, but I only do this every once in a while.
 
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pinaq

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If you are a tight player and have caught unusually good cards and played many hands in a tournament you could show your cards if you once decide to bluff or half bluff. In that case you might seem to be an aggressive player which hopefully will make your opponents run into one of your monsters later when you don't bluff. However, I think it's a little 50/50. Personally i auto-muck.
 
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diamondace

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generally you shouldnt show your cards but if you are at a tight table nobody is calling you when you get good hands then show if a bluff worked. that will show other players that you dont play too tight and its more likely that they will call you when you get a good hand.
 
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Flushbuster

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I like to show a hand when I have to raise a lot of pots in a row, just to let people know I'm just not being a jerk
 
Team_Ramrod

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I agree with the above statement. I won a $500 freeroll on bodog, probably because when it got down to about 25 people or so, i would only min. raise preflop, then show my hand. I did get quite a few monsters there at the end too, and I showed most of them. After it was all said and done, I had people congratulating me and telling me how even though they lost I made it a fun gaming experience for them, since I didn't try bullying or any other of the common tactics used to take pots. Anyways, to each his own, and it's all about luck anyways...or is it?
 
MissVien

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I NEVER show... Unless the table's very tight, to get some action i'll show a bluff occasionally.
 
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