Slowplay - a resource few use

[_xgeb_]

I like to read about poker and I found this term that many know but I am not sure if many use it in their favor at the poker tables.
Definition:
Slowplay is a term that encompasses the game of strong hands passively to keep rivals in hand by giving them the impression that we have a weaker hand, or to give them the opportunity to get relatively good cards in the course of the hand, and by both cause them the false expectation of winning the hand.

Have you ever done slowplay? Consciously?
I have at least done it but thought that the meaning was different.

 

[partz]

yes its a way to piss off ur opponents, but for me the best strategy is to play on a similar speed all hands, and yes with strong cards slightly slower than usual

 

[finaltable1]

slowplay is EV+ only vs loose aggressive table

 

[ventrolloquist]

I like to read about poker and I found this term that many know but I am not sure if many use it in their favor at the poker tables.
Definition:
Slowplay is a term that encompasses the game of strong hands passively to keep rivals in hand by giving them the impression that we have a weaker hand, or to give them the opportunity to get relatively good cards in the course of the hand, and by both cause them the false expectation of winning the hand.

Have you ever done slowplay? Consciously?
I have at least done it but thought that the meaning was different.

It's funny you just posted this because a slowplay just cost me a tournament :/

Decided to slowplay QQQ trips on a dry board and next thing I know I'm stacked by a flush

Having said that a dry paired board is the best time to slowplay because it's unlikely that there are worse hands that will call you, because A) you hold one of the cards that hits that flop to give you trips, therefore there is only one other card in the deck villain would call you with. and B) it's 4 cards in the deck villain would call you with if they decide to call with the other part of the flop, so that's not a lot of cards and it's highly likely you won't be called unless there is a draw or overcards/pairs.

So it's better to try to induce a bluff here from villain and check-call instead when OOP.

 

[BlackJesus]

I think you underestimate the players in general by saying that FEW use slowplay. I certainly do it and every now and then I encounter cases a player slowplays his hand.

 

[80abukaH]

Slowplay is just the opposite of bluffing and it is totally fine, because it comes at your own risk too.

Talking about etiquette, if you mean that, I must say slowrolling and corner edging are the real shame!

I still remember some awful cases of that in high level tourneys

 

[pescaofish]

Slowplay is very productive If You use it properly. You need to be sure about having the Nuts,
If that is the case, I normally Cheq or bet minimum to encourage other players to bet and then you are in control. Pot bet or All in, depending on the situation! :eating:

 

[_xgeb_]

I think you underestimate the players in general by saying that FEW use slowplay. I certainly do it and every now and then I encounter cases a player slowplays his hand.

Sorry but I don't underestimate anyone. Only I had doubt if people intentionally made the game slow or did it without thinking.
I recently started reading a little more poker and, personally, I did not consciously use this resource.
I just wanted to know if someone else had what happened to me.

 

[Drumsound]

yes its a way to piss off ur opponents, but for me the best strategy is to play on a similar speed all hands, and yes with strong cards slightly slower than usual

You're confusing acting slowly with slowplaying. A slowplay, as mentioned in the first post is passively playing a strong hand. It usually works best against aggressive players who can't NOT stab at pots.

slowplay is EV+ only vs loose aggressive table

So, in MOST games.

 

[DS3]

I think the more understood and ubiquitous term is trapping (though slow playing is exactly the same thing).

I love trapping, keeping my hand disguised. Of course it can backfire at times when the villain's hand strengthens over the hero's.

But, for me there is nothing more satisfying than when a nutted hand is heavily bet into on the flop, turn and river by an aggressive player only for them to find out they have been behind all along.

 

[kidkvno1]

And you just might be slowing playing yourself out of the game.. I've seen more players get busted slow playing a hand as the other player hits a str8 or flush or a set or 2 pair.
I stopped slow playing hands, due to losing to many chips.. Set vs set, really hurts!

 

[ventrolloquist]

In my opinion slow playing increases variance and is usually just -EV unless you're up against an aggro player. You want to take lower variance lines in tournaments. Even on the driest flop you can hit a bad beat.

 

[moulan7]

and yes with strong cards slightly slower than usual

The opposite for me.
I bet hard when I have a good hand.
Slow play it's fine if for example I have AA on a AAJ rainbow flop since has nothing left for my opponent to draw or if my opponent is very aggressive or a maniac.
But in general I prefer to play straight forward and hope that my opponent has a good hand too to pay me.

 

[Phoenix Wright]

I think the more understood and ubiquitous term is trapping (though slow playing is exactly the same thing).

I love trapping, keeping my hand disguised. Of course it can backfire at times when the villain's hand strengthens over the hero's.

But, for me there is nothing more satisfying than when a nutted hand is heavily bet into on the flop, turn and river by an aggressive player only for them to find out they have been behind all along.

+1 Trapping successfully is one of the best feelings I get in poker. Right up there with winning huge pots and making big laydowns you know are correct. Obviously trapping works best against loose and aggressive players, but I've sometimes found this as a good mix up play and a good tool against nitty players who never put much into the pot. In this last case, I don't mean checking all the way to the river, but even slowplaying your smashed flop against a nit opponent heads up could tempt them into calling a small/decent turn or river bet by you. In this scenario, it is more like delaying a value bet than trapping, but it is the same motif at play.

 

[77ecos]

you should always have a mixed game, being aggressive is vital to win, slowplay is part of the game and well applied will make you win many boats, the boats that you lose by applying slowplay are usually painful but if you do not give importance it will not affect your game

 

[Matt_Burns88]

I like to read about poker and I found this term that many know but I am not sure if many use it in their favor at the poker tables.
Definition:
Slowplay is a term that encompasses the game of strong hands passively to keep rivals in hand by giving them the impression that we have a weaker hand, or to give them the opportunity to get relatively good cards in the course of the hand, and by both cause them the false expectation of winning the hand.

Have you ever done slowplay? Consciously?
I have at least done it but thought that the meaning was different.

Few people slow play?? I see it all the time and often it winds up badly for the slowplaying person. The reason for this is that they often overvalue their hand (hit a set on JT4) and decide to check back. The turn is a 9 and suddenly they want to start betting. The chips all go in and the opponent turns over KQ for the straight.

The only time I'm slow playing is when I hit an absolute monster (nut flush or better) and want to give my opponent the chance to catch up. If I've got AA on a super dry board, I'm going to bet for value because I'd rather take the pot down then than the guy hits two pair on the turn and check/raises me and puts me in a horrible spot.

 

[fundiver199]

In the micros most people would see better results, if they stopped slowplaying completely. The few situations to do it, is, when you have an absolute lock on a hand, like JJ on JJ5 rainbow board.

 

[texasfoldem]

I like to read about poker and I found this term that many know but I am not sure if many use it in their favor at the poker tables.
Definition:
Slowplay is a term that encompasses the game of strong hands passively to keep rivals in hand by giving them the impression that we have a weaker hand, or to give them the opportunity to get relatively good cards in the course of the hand, and by both cause them the false expectation of winning the hand.

Have you ever done slowplay? Consciously?
I have at least done it but thought that the meaning was different.

Yes, I have just done a post about slow playing when I got a Royal Flush on the turn: https://www.cardschat.com/forum/learning-poker-57/slow-playing-a-royal-flush-451432/

Not sure entirely if it really was that good because I am still learning new techniques. I stumbled across some videos of pro players playing slowly when they get the nuts. Not sure if the Royal Flush one is a good example but I also did something previously with a LAG who had nothing much but they shoved all-in against my very strong hand (I think super powerful premium full house).

It seems a good idea to play seemingly weakly (like checking the flop or turn when you are almost 100% certain you have the nuts) and get them to respond to that weak play with a furious over-bet or all-in. I definitely did it consciously and with the aim to initiate a rash move on their part. LAGs are good targets but also some of the more conservative players can fall for it too!

I have also seen it go wrong. I think that is usually when people try slow playing a set and then get stung by a straight or flush on the river. I have seen Negreanu falling foul slow playing a AAA flop. Maybe it is best to only slow play something better than a set or possibly even better than a straight (like flopping A high flush or full house). I would rather initiate a fold before showdown if I think there is some chance of them getting something nasty by showdown.

 

[texasfoldem]

Few people slow play?? I see it all the time and often it winds up badly for the slowplaying person. The reason for this is that they often overvalue their hand (hit a set on JT4) and decide to check back. The turn is a 9 and suddenly they want to start betting. The chips all go in and the opponent turns over KQ for the straight.

The only time I'm slow playing is when I hit an absolute monster (nut flush or better) and want to give my opponent the chance to catch up. If I've got AA on a super dry board, I'm going to bet for value because I'd rather take the pot down then than the guy hits two pair on the turn and check/raises me and puts me in a horrible spot.

Yes I agree. You need a really very solid hand most of the time or else you can get stung badly. I watched Negreanu get stung when he slow played AAA on the flop. His opponent Ruggeri had a straight by the river. I usually bet pretty hard when I flop a set. I seem to have a terrible time with showdowns lol.

 

[cranberry]

I like to slowplay with the nuts on all the streets, then raise on the river.

 

[texasfoldem]

In the micros most people would see better results, if they stopped slowplaying completely. The few situations to do it, is, when you have an absolute lock on a hand, like JJ on JJ5 rainbow board.

Yes, that would be a monster. Also you would know by the turn or river if they could get top quad or straight flush. I think though that most people (including me) would just presume they had already won when the flop came. It would be a horrific bad beat if your opponent rivered quad Qs!

 

[texasfoldem]

KK on BB Full House slow play at micros

Only 2nl so no huge payouts . Flopped Kings full of 4s. The funny thing is he had full house by the river too (much weaker one). The player was somewhat overly aggressive to say the least. Might have gotten his stack by shoving all-in myself but did the check the flop trap. Same result.