what do you do...

Hi

[home game]

What do you do when you've just made a pot size bet w/ one other player in the hand and he shows his cards [he hasn't called yet], [u look at it] and he offers to split the pot?


[btw, u have a better hand than him, and of course, ur trying to get him to call]


and if u don't have a better hand, of course you're going to want to split...


thanks.

Well you ask him if he's calling or folding, and tell him not to do it again.

Why would you tell him not to show his cards?

It depends on how badly you have him beat, how many cards are to come, and how much cash it will take him to call you if he has to call you more than once.


For example:


You have AcAh.


He has AsKs.


The flop is Js10s 6c


Let's say that the pot was $75 (as it might be in 5 10 blind pot limit) and that he has $75 in front of him. You want him in this case to fold, right?


But imagine that you have 9h10h, he has AsAh, you both have plenty of money, and the flop is 9c9s6c. Wouldn't you want him to call? And call you again on the turn and river?


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assume that it's at the river and u've got him beat...i'm just curious as to how u would react if, for example, you had me beat at the river. [of course i wouldn't know this]


but then i show my cards to u and ask you "do you want to split the pot" [in our game, we don't split it based on the percentage; number of times that hand would win], we just split it 50/50]


you would instinctively want to say 'no, i don't want to split' [meaning that you've got me beat, and thus i fold]


or say 'yes, i'll split' [because you don't have me beat]


other cases would be:

a) you don't say anything and just sit there [meaning that you'd want me to call cuz you've got me beat, but then i'd know to fold since you haven't given any indication of wanting to split]


am i missing something here? i've been playing for a couple years now [half and half casino and home games] [in casino, i just play up to 6-12, but at home, it's a buncha friends and we buy in about 50 each with a single 25 cent blind]


this splitting the pot thing has come up before when i first started out [i started out playing no limit home games, but for smaller stakes [maybe like 10 buyin], then played casino, now back to home games] and i've never thought about this aspect as much as i have now b/c i can't think of a reaction or reply to show that you DO NOT have ur opponent beat [when u actually do]


please help. this has screwed me over twice b/c once the first time i was asked this, and saw his cards, i quickly said no, and he mucked a 2nd nut hand.... and a second time, i didn't say anything at all and just sat there and had the nut flush on the flop, and he was gonna call my 'bluff' down w/ a 9 high flush [4 flush cards on the board] but he folded.


note, when he says 'do you want to split', that doesn't necessarily mean that the decision is up to me...so if i do say yes, it can work against me b/c he then might want to call me thinking he has me beat, but i don't want to risk saying 'yeah, i wanna split' and then he says 'ok' when i actually wanted him to call


thanks for ur help

Isn't it fairly easy? The next time just say. "I take the 5th..." ;-) (I think it's the 5th right? Getting all my US culture from television.) I mean, just say "I don't do splits." or something similar. Just repeat this until he gets the point. And if you want to take advantage of his offers occasionally you have to outwit him and get the better of the lil "bluffing"-game more often then not.


Sincerely, TV

Clearly, if the decision is his after you answer, you cant just acept the split when you are behind and refuse it when you are wining. You would just be giving him free information ( I assume that he will never raise after showing his hand ?). So I see 3 possibilities.


- say 'for this hand, and all futur hand, I will always refuse to split'. And stick to it.


- say 'for this hand, and all futur hand, I will always accept to split'. And stick to it.


- psychological warfare. Somtimes accept, somtimes refuse, trying to get him to act the way you want. For info, If you made a bot size bet on the river and are behind, you gain by refusing to split if he folds 3/4 of the time. This does not take into acount the fact tha accepting the split might make him call, so the real number is less then 3/4. Thsi could be dangerous against a good opponant.


Gatlif

joe,

did you say that he might ask you, you accept, and then he decides that he wants to call?? if so, that is down right cheating. an offer to split is an offer to split. if you agree, you take down half the pot no matter what.


that said, just keep saying no and NEVER show him your cards.

an offer to split is a sign of weakness (almost always) and he probably wouldn't call anyway.

even if you are beat, if he calls you even once to see that you are capable of "bluffing no", he'll pay you off many times in the future when you say no and have the nuts.

Oh.


I get it now, this is like a regular occurence (sp?) in your home games.


IN that case, I would try to turn it to your advantage. How about "No. I want you to fold so I get the whole pot."


Or some other evasive answer. Be lighthearted though, so that no one can tell if you're being serious.

Figure out your expectations and randomize your play using game theory...


We don't do splits, but we often flip our cards face up when debating a heads up river or all-in call to see our oppenent's reaction. I think it is fun.

When you have the best hand, don't split. When you have the worst hand, split half the time, don't split half the time. If you find he folds every time you don't split with the worst hand, raise the frequency of your refusals.


He's flipping his cards over because he doesn't know what to do and wants more information. It's your job to exploit this and find the maximum number of times he'll believe your misinfomation.

i like that response.


another thing to try is pretend u didn't see the cards?


'i didn't see anything' and remind him it's his play


what's the saying...strong when weak and weak when strong...most of the guys know this saying but won't think a level higher, so i'll just try to 'instinctively' act strong so it LOOKS like i'm weak


thanks for all of your responses

If that is true then he is cheating in a big way. If he says "Do you want to split?" that is an offer!!!!! If you say yes, and he then says no I call, guns would come out flying!!!