bubbasbestbabe
Suckout Queen
Silver Level
I will show a piss poor bluff hand like 8/3 once at the table when I feel its right to set up some sucker. It's part of the whole bluffing scene, you want someone to challenge you when you have it good, clean them out, and wait to bluff again. Keep them on their toes and don't let them get a feel for how you bet.
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Freakakanus
Legend
Silver Level
I have been showing to establish that I don't play crappy cards however I'm gonna stop cause when it comes down to it people will call regardless of what "image" you are trying to portray if they have cards they like. They may call just because they don't believe you could have a good hand every time or they actually have a better hand than you and you end up trapping yourself.
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biggamer86
Enthusiast
Silver Level
I never really show hands unless its on one condition and only once will i do this in a tournament basically, if its early in a tournament and I absolutely know im going to get away with a bluff I will show it to the new people to get them to call with less then premium hands but I will never show winning hands uncalled or bluffs to good players but thats about the only time I will show and sometimes i wont do that but normally i hardly ever do this because 9 out of 10 times you cant bluff in a multi table tournament that isnt to the first break yet. But if you can show it youd be surprised the calls youll get on a big hand.
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philivory
Enthusiast
Silver Level
I try not showing my cards .Its good to keep your opponents guessing.They say when you show a bluff your setting them up 4 the next hand...i dont believe that.I think when ya show a bluff your seeting "yourself"up 4 the next hand.Because you wont be able 2 pull a bluff off since ya allready showed it.:hahaha:
Bill_Hollorian
Rock Star
Silver Level
I love when folks show me their cards! When you show me your cards, I can:
1.) reivew the way you bet, raised, and played every street, and I didn't even have to call a bet.
2.) I can confirm or discard every read during every street of that hand, making me more prepared next time.
3.) Anyone want to add to this list?
Bill
1.) reivew the way you bet, raised, and played every street, and I didn't even have to call a bet.
2.) I can confirm or discard every read during every street of that hand, making me more prepared next time.
3.) Anyone want to add to this list?
Bill
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biggamer86
Enthusiast
Silver Level
Not always sometimes showing a hand could be strategy, i hardly bluff but if i can even take the blinds early in a tourney its kind of funny to show because all the new guys will call your big hands even though you just stole the blinds, but you have to be in perfect position and its extremely rare to get the opportunity but if you can take it then use it, doesnt work for money games though lol. They cant tell and even though you stole the small blind or some dumb stuff like that the wild betters are thinking oh he plays 8 4 off suit i better call his all in with my pair of 9s even though ace king 9 is on the board. Other then that dont do it period.
diabloblanco
Legend
Silver Level
David Williams (placed second in the 2004 main event) has a great article in the July edition of All In magazine entitled "No Mucking Way."
It is basically information on his style of play and how he seldom shows cards. Seldom doesn't mean never. He gives some specific examples of where he does show cards and how it has worked to his advantage. I tend to not completely agree with some of his article, but he is a pro, and I'm not. One thing he said he does, is when someone lays down a hand, and asks what he has, he may show them the less significant card of the two, like a 3. Leaving the guy thinking, "He raised me with a THREE in his hand?" That example seems like a great way to needle someone without giving away too much. You may have the hand beat or be on a strong draw with a lot of outs and still leave the guy wondering what the hell happened.
One specific example he gave was from the WPT World Championship at the Bellagio. He raised with a 10-7 in early position in an attempt to represent a big hand. The board came K-9-7 giving him bottom pair. He bet out on the pot and got one caller. The turn came A, and this time he bet out again, even bigger. Again, he was called. The river came with a 7 giving him trips, and he bet out even bigger this final round because he had the trips and figured they were good. On this street the other guy folded and Williams showed him the 10. For several minutes he said he could just see the guy wondering what the hell he had. Did he have pocket 10's and jam the pot on every street with a K and an A on the board? Did he have A-10, and if so how did he bet that 3 times into a board of K-9-7? He said the guy just stared at the board, stumped, wondering what the hell he had and how he bet it.
In this instance, I can totally see how showing cards or a card completely did the opposite of give information. He actually confused this guy more by showing him a card than by not showing anything. Had he not shown the guy would have most likely put him on AA, KK, or AK. Instead, the guy was completely stumped.
Having said that, I can count on both hands how many times I have showed cards, but with strategy like that, it makes sense to perform a little misdirection every once in a while.
It is basically information on his style of play and how he seldom shows cards. Seldom doesn't mean never. He gives some specific examples of where he does show cards and how it has worked to his advantage. I tend to not completely agree with some of his article, but he is a pro, and I'm not. One thing he said he does, is when someone lays down a hand, and asks what he has, he may show them the less significant card of the two, like a 3. Leaving the guy thinking, "He raised me with a THREE in his hand?" That example seems like a great way to needle someone without giving away too much. You may have the hand beat or be on a strong draw with a lot of outs and still leave the guy wondering what the hell happened.
One specific example he gave was from the WPT World Championship at the Bellagio. He raised with a 10-7 in early position in an attempt to represent a big hand. The board came K-9-7 giving him bottom pair. He bet out on the pot and got one caller. The turn came A, and this time he bet out again, even bigger. Again, he was called. The river came with a 7 giving him trips, and he bet out even bigger this final round because he had the trips and figured they were good. On this street the other guy folded and Williams showed him the 10. For several minutes he said he could just see the guy wondering what the hell he had. Did he have pocket 10's and jam the pot on every street with a K and an A on the board? Did he have A-10, and if so how did he bet that 3 times into a board of K-9-7? He said the guy just stared at the board, stumped, wondering what the hell he had and how he bet it.
In this instance, I can totally see how showing cards or a card completely did the opposite of give information. He actually confused this guy more by showing him a card than by not showing anything. Had he not shown the guy would have most likely put him on AA, KK, or AK. Instead, the guy was completely stumped.
Having said that, I can count on both hands how many times I have showed cards, but with strategy like that, it makes sense to perform a little misdirection every once in a while.
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viking999
Visionary
Silver Level
Eh, I think some of you are being too picky. If everyone folds to my BB I'll show my pocket if I feel like it. "Won't that give away your tells?" No, because I don't even look at my pocket until it's my turn to act. When I turn over my cards for everyone to see, it is MY first time seeing my cards.
MicheleW
Rock Star
Silver Level
You should never show your bluff hand to show the other guy "you got him". You must respect that player's play at all times. JMHO and that of many pros.
Also, some people show their cards to create a trap. Showing a bluff can make an opponent call another hand thinking its another bluff, but to me that's so easy to see through. Nothing cagey about it.
Diablo - Those are pros bluffing. I doubt anyone here is as good at bluffing as these guys and should probably not try to attempt bluffing until they can actually play the game well. And most pros will not show a hand or even a card unless they are pressured by their opponent.
Viking999 - If everyone folds to your BB - they aren't folding because they are fearful of your hand, they folded because they didn't feel they had a hand to play - so why would you show your cards?? It means nothing.
Personally, I never show my cards.
Also, some people show their cards to create a trap. Showing a bluff can make an opponent call another hand thinking its another bluff, but to me that's so easy to see through. Nothing cagey about it.
Diablo - Those are pros bluffing. I doubt anyone here is as good at bluffing as these guys and should probably not try to attempt bluffing until they can actually play the game well. And most pros will not show a hand or even a card unless they are pressured by their opponent.
Viking999 - If everyone folds to your BB - they aren't folding because they are fearful of your hand, they folded because they didn't feel they had a hand to play - so why would you show your cards?? It means nothing.
Personally, I never show my cards.
Jesus Lederer
Rock Star
Silver Level
Playing live i don´t like showing because i know that some players can take valuable information from me. But a few times i have done what diablo said, just showing 1 marginal card.
Playing online, most players doesn´t pay attention to your acts, your betting patterns, your style, etc. They just play their cards. So sometimes i like testing that theory of showing a bluff will get more callers when i have a monster, and showing a monster will get less callers when i´m bluffing.
The results of my tests are very simple: I play at micro limit tables, where all players are terrible bad (including me). As i said before, almost nobody watches my playing style, how much i bet, etc. I know that even if i play 20 handed, on that hand i play i´m going to get called by K-10, A-2, etc. I just go fishing on that tables playing only premium hands. So testing the theory there it´s useless.
ps: there is a commercial of FTP about showing your bluffs. It´s funny. Enter here and watch Chris Ferguson: "Bluffed"
Playing online, most players doesn´t pay attention to your acts, your betting patterns, your style, etc. They just play their cards. So sometimes i like testing that theory of showing a bluff will get more callers when i have a monster, and showing a monster will get less callers when i´m bluffing.
The results of my tests are very simple: I play at micro limit tables, where all players are terrible bad (including me). As i said before, almost nobody watches my playing style, how much i bet, etc. I know that even if i play 20 handed, on that hand i play i´m going to get called by K-10, A-2, etc. I just go fishing on that tables playing only premium hands. So testing the theory there it´s useless.
ps: there is a commercial of FTP about showing your bluffs. It´s funny. Enter here and watch Chris Ferguson: "Bluffed"
ChuckTs
Legend
Silver Level
i agree with michelle - none of use are masterful enough to bluff like thatdiabloblanco said:
but it was a great play
made me laugh
when Noble had their suggestion contest where they gave the best weekly suggestion a cash prize every week
my suggestion was to have the option of showing one or two cards
i still haven't seen that in an online casino yet
MicheleW
Rock Star
Silver Level
Jesus - I watch everyone's playing style online. You can tell an awful lot especially about betting, at what chip count do they go all in, do they raise every time they are in first position, do they fold constantly after the flop, do they play almost every hand, do they play few hands, do they raise and then check on the flop, do they bet like they are playing limit poker (sign of beginner), do they re-raise alot after a bet ... gosh I could go on and on.
I didn't know kids your age could play money games online. I thought you had to be at least 18 years old.
Chuck - that's a great suggestion. It would make things a little more fun and baffling. LOL
I didn't know kids your age could play money games online. I thought you had to be at least 18 years old.
Chuck - that's a great suggestion. It would make things a little more fun and baffling. LOL
Jesus Lederer
Rock Star
Silver Level
I know that every factor you said it´s important to notice when you´re playing live or online. I said that almost all players online don´t do that. And of course i´m just talking about the fish i play against. I know there are good players like you at higher stakes. But at the stakes i play, almost nobody does what you said because they are fish. That´s why i said i don´t care showing my cards against them, because i know they won´t notice my betting paterns and the situations, but if i play at higher stakes, i know there would be more players like you and i would have to be very careful.MicheleW said:
I also didn´t know that kids like me could play money games online. lol
I think it´s not legal, but i didn´t make a deposit. Just played the cardschat freeroll and finished 2nd, winning like $6.
Jesus Lederer
Rock Star
Silver Level
At microtables you can make really easy money, but also very little money. If i had more money, i would leave forever microtables, but for the moment i can´t do anything...just online microtables and live games with friends.MicheleW said:Jesus - I guess I should come in and play the micro tables! Nah, wouldn't do that.
So wait some years and i´ll go to your tables Michele (or maybe you want to come to chile and play live with me. We play a heads up and the winner takes a trip to Arizona).
Good point, but i think that it´s just a hypothetical situation that it´s nearly impossible that can happen. Maybe it can happen that you find a table with 2 or 3 fishermen, but a table full of them?. I think the ratio between fish and fishermen must be like 20:1, so finding 9 fishermen at one table it´s very difficult (that ratio was invented by me, but i think that there are too many fish around after winning some bucks at freerolls).twizzybop said:
ps: I´m the king of going off topic. What has this post about showing your cards?!
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twizzybop
Legend
Silver Level
Just a note: Doesn't it occur that say someone who wants the fish, play at the micro tables. Yet wouldn't one think there would be more than Just 1 fisherman besides yourself at the same micro table??
So indeed you can be playing fish but you have to realize that you could also be playing on a table full of fishermen.
So indeed you can be playing fish but you have to realize that you could also be playing on a table full of fishermen.
MicheleW
Rock Star
Silver Level
Jesus - Maybe we can be exchange Poker students, you come to Arizona and I'll go to Chile. I'm sure I'd be more fascinated with your country and want to tour it more than I'd want to play poker though.
BTW - I got the "winner takes a trip to Arizona" - looks like you think you'd win! (just joking)
BTW - I got the "winner takes a trip to Arizona" - looks like you think you'd win! (just joking)
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lunagirl
Rock Star
Silver Level
Okay, I learned the hard way to stop showing my cards. I am a beginner and play a pretty tight game. If I have it, I bet it. Well, I was so proud of my good hands that I always showed them. And I thought it was a nice gesture to prove I wasn't playing like a maniac and betting the farm on 2 7 or something. Well, I play with some of the same people frequently, and they figured out if I bet, I'm pretty sure I'm getting the chips. Well, now when I bet, they tend to get the heck out of the way. Result = fewer chips for me cause they know how I play.
So, as one of our little moderators told me...... NEVER show unless you have to! Screw 'em, they can think what they want.
So, as one of our little moderators told me...... NEVER show unless you have to! Screw 'em, they can think what they want.
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nujol
Rising Star
Bronze Level
That may be true, but showing one hand isn't going to give away anything unless you do it consistenly. It can often mess with someone's head. If you force someone to fold with a big bet, and when they ask if you had it and you show the rags, it can really get them off their game. Next time around, if you are in again against that same person with the nuts, and you bet big, they might call you just because they want to see if you are bluffing again. Sometimes, it certain sitautions it can be useful to reveal information. See the last half an hour of Rounders for example.
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CutCard4
Rising Star
Bronze Level
I think that when you show, you need to be mindful of what you're showing. It's not just the cards, but how you behaved when holding those cards. This can be useful in giving off false tells later, but I don't think it's generally a good idea, especially in a cash game. I don't ever do it unless I'm HU in a tourney, and then, only rarely and with a player that I think I have pegged. There's too many ways that showing WILL (notice I didn't say "can") came back to bite you.