To Show or Not To Show?

This might sound like a dumb question but I'm still learning all the strategies of poker so I'll ask this anyways...when is it a good time to show or not to show your hand?

As a general rule NEVER SHOW!!!!

Showing gives your opponent information on the hands you play. However if you are comfortable with your game and want to portray a particular table image it may be advantageous to show.

For instance if you are playing tight showing your big hands reinforces the tight image and you may be able to steal blinds more effectively. I find this works well when the table is full of LAG players as it also reigns in thier agressive betting style to some extent

As a rule I would say never show, however, on ocassion I might show a pocket pair if nobody calls my raise. My father, who plays quite profitably, will show on ocassion when he has bluffed (a rarity for him) hoping to entice players to call when he has a strong hand.

it is only good to show if you bluffed and you want to put someone on tilt i would never show a hand where i had a really good hand because if you do this they are like wow i was right he had me beat you always have to make them wonder. personally i only show if it is a friendly game or something like that i don't show if i bluffed i don't show if i had the nuts but if i am playing my bro or something live i don't want him to go on tilt on a poker site after and loose all his money over a $5-10 friendly heads up match

Generally, you should never show your hand. It just gives information about yourself. The only time you would show is if you want to build off it. Say you bluffed this guy. You show him. Next time you pick up a monster, you play it the same way. You could extract more money out of him. Online, I wouldn't count on it. Many people are busy muti-tabling and just don't pay attention. In the long run, I think showing your hands just hurts you more than it helps.

ratmantoo said:

As a general rule NEVER SHOW!!!!

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+1 Just don't do it.

Show in first hour or so of the tourney to build your rep up... Then you can start to use your rep in the correct places (stealing blinds etc)... After that never show unless your at a showdown!

i never show a good hand unless it is something like a straight flush or quads. You should typically only show hands when you have bluffed a person and you are hoping to put them on tilt

Interesting.

I have showed a good hand after stealing the blinds in the latter stages of SNGs..my logic was to make them fear/fold to future raises by making them think I only do so with good hands.

But I think ill stop doing it.

I never show, the exception would be in cc games when I have had a few good hands in a row and I know someone had a tough time folding to my raise- I would show just to show them I wasn't full of it.

I usually never show. I think that it's better to make your opponents keep guessing. The more they guess, the more mistakes they will make. Sometimes in a friendly game I will show, though.

Never show. Think about the type of player who gives you trouble. I'm betting it's someone who bets aggressively when they enter a pot and puts pressure on you. It probably drives you nuts when you fold and they don't show.

i usually show whenever i bluffed, to distract other players.

Show great hands, muck your steals
I would say trips and up...

what I do is if you defend your bb NEVER show as you don't want opponents to know you had a good hand or maybe a crappie hand. If I raise 3x bb and no 1 calls I usually show KK/AA just to let everyone know next time i raise I never get reraised and I become more aggressive to steal a couple pots from button

PooffyFooffy said:

I never show, the exception would be in cc games when I have had a few good hands in a row and I know someone had a tough time folding to my raise- I would show just to show them I wasn't full of it.

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I totally agree with this...in CC games for the same reasons. I used to show all hands before several people warned me that I was giving away too much information. Now, I rarely show.

I would say if you have to ask don't show. It gives information away, and this is bad. The only reason to do it is to manipulate our image, but we have to know how our opponent will react to exploit this. The act of showing is a pretty clearly volitional act, so some oppoenents might note this fact, and gum up the works turning it into a leveling war. While newer to the game this is a marginal way to make gains at best, and may well often just make you shoot yourself in the foot by misapplication.

Yeh never show. Ur only pumpin up ur ego on what ur achieving to show ur opps bluff or win. Plus ur giving them free info. U ALLWAYS want ur opps to b guessing.

I never show my cards...let them keep on guessing...unless they pay to see your cards.lol

Never show early on in a tournament, then show later when you steal blinds with a strong pocket for fear. I usually show if i get something like quads or a flopped the nuts or something.