I want to ask the advice of experienced cash tables players about slow-play situation . I noticed that in some situations slowplay can be profitable and not profitable. In what cases is it worth using and is it worth it to apply it?In the future I will try to bring real examples and hope for your help.

The only situation where i would slowplay is when i hit top set or way better than that. This is because there is not much my opponent can have on any board.

I hate slow play, but sometimes I resort to it when I want to get into prizes

Suppose we are on the BTN or on the SB with pocket AA, can we limp instead of the open raises in the hope of win the stack with a slow-play to the river?

Of course, after a long tournament, if I can benefit from a delay in qualifying for an award, I will.
I believe everyone does.


We're playing with the rule!

It is profitable I think when the flop is dry or when you have an absolute nuts so nothing can threaten you. You can slowplay to wait your opponents to get any weaker combination and to make them think that they can win. Because most of the time you will check trying to show that your hand is quite weak. And your big bet on the river would seem like a real bluf.
And the last. Don't ever slowplay with aces! Good luck to you)

In the end, aggression is what wins in poker.

You are going to lose more/win less by slow playing hands. Lots of people have learned to check back when on a draw. Why would you want to give people free cards and win less?

If you work on your bet sizing and aggression your hand is always concealed because you are always betting. Unless you have a hyper-aggressive player leading the action slow playing is just not a good idea.

Finally, I found a convenient situation for slowplaying so that we could discuss it:
Hero on SB with and play limp ,BB just call...
Flop: , SB check BB bet bank SB call
Turn : SB check , BB bet 50% of bank ,SB reiz x3 and unfortunately BB fold...
It turned out not very interesting, but theoretically, in another scenario, this can be profitable
waiting for your opinions

I really don't like to slow play when I am the one with the initiative, as to me it just looks like strength especially with a set, so I only like to slow play when I just called pre.

I don't like the limp from the button, but I do like limping a hand like QQ+ from the SB known as "the Hellmuth trap" I limped AA in the SB once and BB jams. AA vs JJ and I held, I knocked him out, bet he hated me that day

Originally Posted by EvertonGirl

I really don't like to slow play when I am the one with the initiative, as to me it just looks like strength especially with a set, so I only like to slow play when I just called pre.

I don't like the limp from the button, but I do like limping a hand like QQ+ from the SB known as "the Hellmuth trap" I limped AA in the SB once and BB jams. AA vs JJ and I held, I knocked him out, bet he hated me that day

I asked, many players don't like slowplay, they say that after the opponent makes a call, your AA or KK may lose value after the flop. But opinions can be different, I noticed that Ukrainian poker fans at low limits often use this method.

I fell for my own trap
ТAGht table Hero on UTG with did open reiz 3bb, MP call
Flop : the hero tried to play slowplay and played to check. MP bet 40% UTG call
Turn : UTG - bet 50%, MP call
River : UTG bets 60% MP call and shows ....

I usually only like to slow play a strong hand against a very agro player but against a calling station I rather play more caution with them because many times they will catch the card that will beat my hand especially online. It also depends on the situation and if you have been witnesses if the table has been hitting peoples outs on the river recently or if he hasn't been happening will depend on if I would slow play or not. if that makes ant sense

Slow play, like all, have its pros and cons. It can be very effective when you are playing an aggressive opponent when you know you have him beat. You can allow them to build a pot when betting yourself might cause them to fold. Problem is that your opponent may not bet if they have position and they also may catch a card they need that could give them the best hand. I would not do this too often as opponents will start to understand what you are up to.

Keep both your opponents as well as your own table image in mind when you decide to slow play.

I read only slow is done on the flop, a very strong set is connected, and where there is no chance to be dropped, such as a ladder and the possibility of color xD! ...

I play cash games and buyin for 100BB - i add more if i get down to 80 BB or less, so im always deep stacked with 100BB+.

The problem you face really is; how do you build pots and get opponents to put chips in when you have a big hand?

The most common way is, ofcourse, if your opponent also makes a hand & thinks they are winning, but you can't rely on getting the best of a cooler to make money all the time.

So... slow-play... does it build pots if your opponent has a weak hand? Imo, no - it's hard to disguise check/raises as bluffs - it's a sign of great strength. You need to induce bluffs against you, and you don't do this by being a tight slow-player waiting to check raise.

If you flop a set and check - what exactly are you hoping your opponent is going to do without a hand& only 7 or 8 BB in the pot? Go all in for 90bb to win 8? At best he will c-bet 4 or 5 bb with nothing as a bluff.

In my experience tight slow-players rarely get paid unless theres a cooler. Quite often they also let an opponent make a flush or straight then get it in bad with AA.

I often find tight players flop something strong, check it, aggresive player bets out 5 BB & then folds to the check/raise. Therefore; tight player has waited ages for a big hand, slowplayed with a check/raise, and profits a measly 8 bb or so - which could easily leave is stack again soon if he doesn't play a hand in 3 rounds.

This is why i much prefer consistent small-ball agression with a wider range (particularly in late pos), betting similar patterns with both bluffs & value bets on made hands. Overall it combines fold equity (on my weaker holdings & bluffs) with a greater chance of getting paid when i make a stronger hand.


To give an example of a recent live hand with friends; 1 is more aggressive than me, and thus very tough to play against. The other is rigid and always slow plays. I picked up KK vs the slow player who makes standard raise, then he calls my 3 bet, so i know he's strong but not premium. The flop was very draw heavy; i think something like 9, J, Q, all same suit. He checks, i bet 50% of the pot, and he raises. I instantly fold and give him the pot of 20BB. I showed him the kings and he looked disappointed and remarked "great fold". Had this been the aggresive player i was heads-up with, we probably get all the money in given how different his table image is compared to the nit i just folded to.

As usual, the slow player gradually went broke, scaring off opponents early in pots with his obvious traps, and quickly folding to pressure when he missed flops.

Originally Posted by BigGrayWolf

I want to ask the advice of experienced cash tables players about slow-play situation . I noticed that in some situations slowplay can be profitable and not profitable. In what cases is it worth using and is it worth it to apply it?In the future I will try to bring real examples and hope for your help.

Hey. Slow game is used in order to keep the range of an opponent wide. If the player is constantly bluffing, you haven't to raise to not get rid of his future bets with the air. Similarly, if you raise on the turn in a tight opponent, he'll drop all weak hands. If you raising on the river, you'll receive an additional bet from him.

Originally Posted by BigGrayWolf

I want to ask the advice of experienced cash tables players about slow-play situation . I noticed that in some situations slowplay can be profitable and not profitable. In what cases is it worth using and is it worth it to apply it?In the future I will try to bring real examples and hope for your help.

i am not good at slow playing. i think that i play too aggressive. which is one of my down falls. but if the situation presented its self then i would see if i can get on a few peoples nerves. Lol

I always wonder what expectations people encode 3 beta with some hands
Look at this great lucky one
UTG2 makes limp , LJ limps and BTN (Hero) makes 3 bet 5BB with , UTG2 call, LJ fold
in bank 13.5 BB
Flop : , UTG bets 3BB, BTN reiz 9bb UTG call
Turn : UTG check, BTN bets 3/4 of bank UTG call
River : UTG check , BTN bets bank size ,UTG call and shows .....
...I don't understand, is he slow-player or is he a bastard ?!

Slow play can be very profitable. My only advice when trapping is don't let too many join the pot.

For me the decision to slow play is pretty easy....

Step #1

Only do it Out of Position, or in 3 way pots

Step #2

Is your opponent gonna bet if you check? (check their AF or AFq)

Step #3

In most cases you only wanna do it with top set on a dry none connected board when holding pocket pair JJ+, and better. Now if your opponent is super aggressive, and bets everything you could do it with a Nut flush. Assuming he is gonna bet no matter what. Now I have been known to check raise with an open ended straight flush draw on a Mid to low board, but this typically only works when you have a LAG image against a NIT with no overs on the board. If this is the case they are either gonna shove over the top with QQ+ and call with everything else.

Hope that helps!

I've already won a lot and lost a few times playing slow play, but the situation that has a 97% chance of winning by making a slow play is making a Full House at the table is almost unbeatable, carats like AA, KK, QQ, most of the times depending on your position at the table and how many opponents are in the game, the chances of winning with these cards are 35% to 45%.

Slow play if you flop a boat.

If you flop a boat on a wet board, especially with multiple players in the pot, you wanna bet about half the pot to encourage chasers to chase for the flush or str. This is an occasion when you want them to hit their draws.

If you set mine from OOP and flop a set, then you can let the preflop aggressor cbet.

If you flop a set on a dry board.

Other than that, you wanna bet bet bet.

Even if you flop a flush - unless you happen to have the A, you wanna be betting too.

the only hand I can imagine slow playing is quads. you are just too vulnerable with most "strong" hands. Better to have an aggressive table image and just get paid for everything.

So far slowplaying does not bring me a special profit, this is due to strong hits in the flop oponents. But I will do slowplaying in convenient cases to gain experience.