Showing your cards

[gradin123]

I hear a lot of players say that you should almost never show your cards. I personally don't think that is true. IMO, how you play is dictated by numerous variables and showing your cards at times can be the right move.

Generally I show cards for two reasons.

1. Humor - For example if I'm in the big blind and everyone folds to me and I have aces. Of course I'll show.

or if I make a big hand with crap cards from the BB I show that as well. Like say I have 73 and everyone just calls to me and the flop comes 337.

2. To prove a big hand - I use this tactic infrequently but at times it can prove helpful. If I'm being aggressive and have won a few pots in a row. I may prove at some point that I'm not just betting with crap. Showing your cards in this instance can earn you respect and if people re-raise you shortly after that you can be pretty sure they have a really good hand.


One thing I rarely do is show a bluff though. If I do it would only be very late in a tourney perhaps when you are heads up.

 

[jeterkid925]

We do the same thing, I'll show if I bluff, have a abig hand, like a boat, I'll also show with aces.

 

[twizzybop]

NEVER SHOW YOUR HAND if you don’t have to. If you win the pot because everyone else folded you are under no obligation to show your cards. You don’t want to give away any information about yourself if you don’t have to And player who turn over their cards when they don’t have to are doing just that.

 

[zippo38]

Why show your cards? If you dont you keep them guessing and isnt that a big part of the game?

 

[kozlo6pack]

I used to show my cards, usually to show that I really did have the hand. Now I don't though and I did my first real bluff yesterday and got quite a pot.......I was so excited and laughed to myself.

 

[t1riel]

I had one guy beg me to ask if I had the seven to make a full house after I won the pot. I told him he didn't pay to see my cards. If you want to know what I have, call. Then, he offered me a buck to tell him. I said just a buck? He shut up after that. I never show my cards.:biggrin:

 

[tenbob]

why ? ever

Players (good players i mean) should never show cards if you dont have to. I have a number of reasons for this , hard learned lesson. Good players in a cash game (not online) especially if you play regularly with them will get some good tells from your reactions. Showing AA on the big blind 4 to a table of folds gives everyone at the table an understanding of your reactions when u do look at your cards. Not hard to remember it only happened 1 min ago right ??
You are also giving players a FREE insight into how and when you like to play certain hands, your actions and demenure and style of play when your on a bluff for example. There are just 1 or 2 reasons !!! :hmmmm2:

 

[Thats Fantastic]

Why give away clues to how you play? The only time is when there are 2 or 3 left and it is done to rattle someone. It can be a great tool for mental advantage if used sparingly.

 

[MBHall]

Showing your hand

I feel that showing your hand isn't really warranted unless necessary. I DO though, like showing your hand when everyone folds and you really do have it. That way, you lull your opponent into thinking you only play when you win. This is especially useful early on in the game to set yourself up for the lategame bluffs.

 

[miked77]

I feel it doesnt really help your opponents if you show unless you are playing some sort of expert (which still isnt guarunteed to beat you). The only problem I have with showing online is people always think I am trying to show off if I have a less than decent hand and win. So now I mostly muck if I have the choice.

 

[onebigblue]

as a general rule i dont like 2 show my cards if i dont get called .but at a table occasionally by accident(AHEM) i will flip one or two 2 drive um crazy

 

[VegasGrinder]

Showing your Cards is probably the easiest rookie mistake you can avoid.

Did you see the National Heads up Coverage of round 1?

Chan was being run over until he got to see a hand for free.....Things changed quik and Chan advanced to round 2.

Your situations and why you shouldn't show.

You have Aces and everyon folded to your BB. (Can pick up a Tell)
You have Trash and flop a Monster because everyone just limped in. (You will be raised when in the BB from that point on)
Shopwing a Big Hand (Again you are giving away Tells)
Showing a Bluff (No more bluffing from that point on. You will be called. Heads up is so important to be able to bluff. Give that away and you are Dead Money.)

 

[acepokerace]

i agree with most of the posts about not showing your hand.
if they dont call...well then i dont show

if they wanted to see the hand they should have called
it will only work to your advantage in the long run

 

[shine111]

I have been told and taught by friends and family that there is no reason to show your hand if you don't have to...I guess this confirms it! Thanks for all the posts .... I have been reading all morning and learning a lot : )

 

[Vinspector]

If asked i allmost never show if i rasie big and win the pot if i had it i will some times show never if i did not just dependes on the table.

 

[quartzeye]

i dont like to show at all if possible dont want to let anyone "think" they know how i play......makes me mad when people think they know me and my plays when they dont!

 

[slplsinbstn]

almost never show

I very very rarely show my cards.
It can cause some bad feelings
1. Hey dumby, I had you beat easily or
2. You fool I was bluffing.

Either way it can really irratate other players.

 

[nextdoggie]

I Agree - Muck 'em

You have nothing to gain by showing your cards, and it lets others know more about you. Muck 'em.

 

[zeta056]

everyone has their own style. as for myself, if i have won a few hands in a row, i would probably show one of those hands to prove i am not playin crap and earn some kinda respect from the other players. they say never show cards but thats your choice. sometimes i tend to show a bluff just to see if people would pay attention. that way when i do catch a monster hand people may think your bluffing but instead your just milking away and getting paid for that hand... thats my opinion

 

[ChuckTs]

Never show (in my opinion)

i can understand the reasoning behind showing sometimes;
say you're on the button in a tense part of a tourney, and everyone folds around to you, and you bet big
the blinds might be pissed that you could be stealing the blinds and you show your hand to them after to say " im not robbing you, I actually had a good hand "
then say later on, in the same situation you are shortstacked and its time to steal the blinds. You do so successfully, but don't show this time because you had a crappy hand. This time they know that you stole it, and will change the way they play next time.
you need to keep them guessing whether or not you really have a good hand

Like you were saying you show for humour ( AA on the BB and everyone folds to you )
but if you were not to fold, then SB and everyone else will be left guessing whether you had a hand or not
It's all about keeping them guessing...(in my opinion)
at least thats how i play

 

[sorcerer_]

I only show when I'm playing for fun or when I have a really good hand and no1 calls

If someone plays agressive and after about 5-10 hands show what they have, that means that most of the time they had crappy hands and they are only showing them now to try to trick us

 

[iceman301]

showing cards

I like to show the bluffs so when I have a good hand they think I am bluffing and stay in the hand.

 

[Martinez760]

i have auto muck on always on both of my sites

 

[allinguy]

I've only been playing 2 months should i not show at all

 

[chrisjej]

I show my cards to create a table image. If you bluff and people fold - you might show to encourage people to bet against you when you have something. Or if people fold and you had something, you might show so they think it is less likely that you bluff. Or I might show to make myself appear unpredictable.

Does it make much difference? Who knows - but you get a feel for how people are likely to respond around the table so there can never be a hard and fast rule about it all.