to show or not to show

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Edwardsl1985

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hi guys
just wondering everyones view on showing cards. If you raise and they fold, or if a pre flop raise causes a load of people to fold do you show or not?

I sometimes show if I raise from a blind steal position and I have a premium holding so people don't think I'm blind stealing. Any other time I don't know when it is useful to show. I don't want to give free info.

The most common example is if I raise big, or re-raise and someone folds people often show me what they are folding. All this tells me is what they are willing to fold under pressure.

There are also two ideas I read the first is (from Harrington on online cash games if I remember correctly) that if you bluff someone badly out of a pot, show them your crap cards to cause them to tilt. The other idea I read but can't remember where is that doing this is risky as an enemy at the table will make it their mission to destroy you.

Any ideas. Should I keep doing what I'm doing or start showing at time to time?
 
U

United

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I never show my cards when I muck/fold.

Anytime you show cards, you are giving your opponent information about you and what you do with your hands. Keep them in the dark unless they pay to see your hand.
 
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hrix

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Sometimes, when I lose with AA, KK, QQ, 10 10 I show these cards. I muck my cards when I try to bluff with 3 6, for example.
 
S

sillymunchie

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its an interesting concept :)
players like daniel negreanu you will often see them showing 1 card.....
and he does this to give half the story, and to feed on an image

now i was in an MTT, and i shoved with 12BB 2 times in a row, first was a bluff, 2nd was not a bluff, i showed the 2nd so people didnt think i was just shoving with trash, and by the 3rd time i shoved, think i had AJ, i had so much respect that they wouldnt call (now im glad in a way that they didnt call, because less 60 40 calls the more chance i had of getting up the leaderboard risk free, and id like to think that the occasional show can give you a positive image.

I guess what im trying to say is, we set our own image, make an unusual play if you have to, where you make a rediculous bluff, but play it like you would play a made hand, and even if it doesnt work and you get called down, just go to the river, and if at any time any more money goes in the pot "show your bluff" people who are watching will make a note of this "unusual play" and play back at you more, so when you go back to your normal playing style they dont have a clue and BOOM the trap has been set
its called laying out your table image, make the table believe something that isnt true, but you know its not true and see how they react..... now you gave a little information, and your gaining information from your opponents "namely how they react, do they loosen up, raise bigger etc etc, cus surely this is what you want"
 
Salvete777

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I never show my cards to opponent's. If you show, other players get information about your play and that's isn't good...
 
fletchdad

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It is a rare exception when I will show. Only at a home game with friends I play with a lot, and even then only on the rare occasion, which TBO I cant even think of one right now.

Online or with strangers NEVER.
 
steveiam

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I never show unless i'm having a fun game with some friends.
 
helpspb

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I've seen people showing off their bluffs or as you said showing off that they actually had a hand..... IMO, it's best to keep your cards to yourself because no matter what cards and in what situation you're showing them you're giving away some infromation on your play. I'd maybe show my cards if I had certain reasons/agenda in my mind, but experienced player won't let you fool him anyway.
 
Beanfacekilla

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Here is an example of a good time to show cards IMO:

I play live primarily. Sometimes I find myself at a nitty table, and everyone is just pushing $12 pots back and forth.

I will raise with AA or KK, and everyone folds. Others will raise with premiums, and everyone folds (and they show their AA and convey the disappointment).

In situations like this, I like to 3-bet bluff in LP, or simply raise LP with some rags. When everyone folds (because they are nits) I will then show my garbage cards.

I had a guy lay down J-J face up before when I 3-bet him (very nitty table), and I showed my hand. If I remember correctly, that time I showed a 4-7o FTW. This player was extremely tight, and he opened for $10. I 3-bet him to around $35, an he folded face up.

My point is, sometimes that is all it takes to get some action going at a table full of nits. However, be careful what you wish for - after showing a bluff people will look you up with a walmart receipt.

And the same holds true if you are getting too much action - sometimes I show a monster hand so I don't have to play flops 5-way.


But generally I only show bluffs when the table is super nitty to generate action. It works wonders. Then - what do you know - I get a monster hand, and I get PAID because now they think I am bluffing again. Your opponents will remember a bluff much longer than they remember a good hand. It will still be stuck in their minds even on future sessions, so be careful.

Because of this, I have a different table image depending on which player you ask. Some people think I am a loose-aggressive bluffer, and they will call me light. Other players believe I am super tight and aggressive. I like to keep everyone wondering. It is bad to be predictable at a poker table. If the only time you raise is when you have it - people will always know what to do vs. you.

That is all.
 
stevenright

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almost never is good to show cards.. just muck always and you will be better off.... pretty good players would sense somethings out of you if they knew something
 
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locha2013

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For me it is an exception when someone show me his cards and its a bluff that im thinking next time he will bluff. I dont really care about showing cards, but i know when someone is on blind stealing and raise too often some time i will get him without caring about his cards the round before.
But i also think it is a bad mistake to show his own cards because it is too much information for the opponent.
All in all i watch more my own cards and look how often the opponent call raise or fold. I truely think to believe in your own cards is the best alternative.
 
odomazetov

odomazetov

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I never show my cards to opponent's. If you show, other players get information about your play and that's isn't good...

Ok i can understand that , but I'm are in late MTT and somebody is making raise for 10 BB, I have 20 BB and ACES in my hand. I re-raise to all in and he folds , I will show my hand only because im really strong and to tell him not to mess with me :)
So i think that on this way i send agressive image for me or i'm dreaming to bad? Thanks.
 
A

AvaloNNN

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Ok i can understand that , but I'm are in late MTT and somebody is making raise for 10 BB, I have 20 BB and ACES in my hand. I re-raise to all in and he folds .

So he raised to 10x BB preflop, and then folded to a 20 BB shove? Amazing.
 
ccocco

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most professional players do not show their cards almost never .. for something be ... but I've seen that show one card, once read in some site that needs to be displayed letters twice as long when you win the hand or steal the blinds, once strong hand show with AA, KK, AK, etc. and other with weak hand. 22, 65, 83, etc. .. I sometimes show a single letter, sometimes ..
 
helpspb

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It is bad to be predictable at a poker table. If the only time you raise is when you have it - people will always know what to do vs. you.

No matter what I said before, this is also true. It's good to keep your opponents always guessing and vary your game.
 
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Cdub512

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i don't like showing my cards except on the rare occasion where i know i can put someone on tilt, and i would use this to my advantage later when i make a big hand. poker is a game of information though, and that's why i can't believe how often some players show their cards.
 
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pokerboss56

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there is value in showing if you dont play the guy often and you think he will tilt
 
BluffMeAllIn

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bluff 27 first hand, show it and then wait for monsters. LOL, like anything in poker its dependent on the situation, however don't show if you think you could be giving away information that will play against you. Showing has its advantages when its only giving perceived information from you perspective to indicate that you play your game really tight or really loose.

At the same time if your playing something like our leaque game's with a bunch of regs, almost like a home game where you know everyone then showing will tend to ocurr more often (maybe for the bragging rights lol)
 
Henry Minute

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But i also think it is a bad mistake to show his own cards because it is too much information for the opponent.
Not if the information your opponent gets is the information you want them to get.

If you want them to think you bluff a lot, show your cards when you win with a bluff. Then when you get a monster they are more likely to throw money at you.

If you want them to think that you only play monsters show when you win with a monster. This can allow you to get away with a few bluffs.

There is a definite skill to showing to represent a 'story' but it can increase your ROI.
 
lovemiscou

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I rarely show my cards but might show a winning bluff at start of game to put
opponent on tilt or give the impression that i bluff a lot and maybe get paid of when i do get a monster
 
rdm4k

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There is value showing you hand only if u got a plan. Your opponent might tilt ? are you going to create a fake image of yourself?

Sometime can be useful to gain some respect and u might do that to avoid to be spite called in BvB for ex. But nahhh, I wont show neither in the last case, spite me plz :)
 
redcross

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Personally I never show, even if I pull off a sick bluff I would rather keep them guessing the rest of the game than let them see. I know there can be advantages but I would rather never let anyone see how I am playing!

I think it is hilarious when people show hand after hand, they typically end up leaving the table shortly after and are probably wondering why!
 
H

hrix

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Now I have changed my strategy, I try to bluff a lot and they show my cards. Then, when I got AA or KK and flop is good for me I try to play like I am bluffing. People think that I don't have good cards- people get wrong and I am going away with some chips :D
 
EvertonGirl

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Daniel Negreanu once said it is good to show sometimes, like if you are using the small ball approach and you show that you playing like a maniac then you will get a lot of callers when you have a strong hand, as they will be thinking this guy is a fish and will play any 2 cards. So if you using the small ball approach then possibly show your hands when you want them to think you are playing like a maniac.

Normally I never show :)
 
K

kmichaels

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Poker is a game of information. So if you show you will give free information of your play style to your opponent. Because of that never show him the cards, even if you made a huge and unbelievable bluff. Keep the secret to you, or next time your opponent will bust you. Believe me
 
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