Chronic slowplayer

[Vehn]

I've been playing against someone frequently who slowplays EVERYTHING. I don't mean he's passive, he's certainely not afraid to raise and checkraise, but he will almost always wait until the river to show aggression especially when he has not raised preflop. For example in a 4-way pot I saw him check on the button with KQ on a flop of Q Q 9 on both the flop and turn after it was checked to him. Ironically he's rather tilt-prone and as you can guess he takes a lot of "bad beats", not exactly a good combo for him. He is very straightforward however, his raises and bets on the expensive streets means he has a hand but he is not overly weak-tight. What kind of adjustments do you make to this style of play? Should you generally not make "normal" river value bets against this opponent?

[JTG51]

You'd certainly have to be a little more worried about him calling you on the flop and turn when there's a scary board. Will he also routinely call with weak hands that should be folded, bottom pairs, gutshots, etc? If he will you can still make most of your value bets against him. If not, I'd make quite a few less.

I don't understand what people are thinking when they slowplay so much. I saw a guy the other day check from the BB in a 5 or 6 way pot. The flop was AKQ rainbow. It was checked around. The turn was another A and it was checked around again. The river was a 2, it was checked to LP who bet. BB check raised, got called and proudly showed AK for the stone cold nuts. I don't understand checking the flop or turn, but how on earth can anyone decide to check the nuts on the river after the flop and turn have been checked? I just don't get it.

[Ed Miller]

how on earth can anyone decide to check the nuts on the river after the flop and turn have been checked?

But you didn't see it coming, now did you? /forums/images/icons/tongue.gif

[DannyP]

Was it that horrible a play? With a scary board like that won't anybody who would call be willing to bet? On the river with all that checking and a 6 way pot isnt someone going to try and make a move?

[BruceZ]

In the chapter on player weaknesses in Theory of Poker the one weakness that isn't listed is "slowplays too much". I think you will automatically win extra pots against this type of player by drawing out against him when you normally shouldn't. You don't want to become so paranoid that he is slowplaying that you fail to bet your legitimate hands and give him free cards that help him. If he is a rock in addition to being a slowplayer, then you want to be more cautious with your weaker hands, but still continue to bluff without a hand if he hasn't called yet. I had some trouble with this type of player until I started playing weaker hands more cautiously when I could afford to give a free card. If I had a draw, I'd take more free cards when he called on the flop and I was second to act on the turn rather than firing another round.

[johnd]

with the Ak guy i would be happy i got off so cheap

[timmygsw]

I have a hard time understanding the motivation of the chronic slow player.

I play against a guy semi regulary who slowplays just about everything. From pocket aces in early position on up to top pair top kiker. When he does come firing it's easy to back off and, sure enough, a couple of times a night someone will hit a free card draw which he chalks up to "just one more bad beat".

Psychologically, it must be the times when his slowplay pays off that makes him do it. Like it was mentioned above, "you don't see it coming" and the joy he gets from fooling the other player(s) must outweigh all other considerations.

[felson]

Well, at least his check on the river managed to get a couple of bets out of LP. So it was a more successful play than his checks on the flop and turn. /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

I do agree, though, that he needs to bet the river.