to show or not to show...that is the question

[mrwhippy]

Well...it's my question anyway.I remain slightly confused by the logic/psychology of showing your hand (or not) when you've been folded to. I know some say NEVER show (my usual choice) but then I've also seen final table WPT players showing on a regular basis. It's obviously with the intention of creating uncertainty via misinformation/promotion of A table image....what I wanted to hear where your thoughts on the strategy/tactics behind this play and how to turn it to your advantage a; when its done to you, and b; when you do it to others....all thoughts appreciated...thanks /images/graemlins/smile.gif /images/graemlins/spade.gif /images/graemlins/heart.gif /images/graemlins/club.gif /images/graemlins/diamond.gif /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Trix]

Try the search function.

[Peter Harris]

the Psychology forum has frequent threads on this and the resident psychologist, Dr. Al Schoonmaker points out that information is power in poker. By showing your cards, you're empowering the other players, so:

a) note their cards, reanalyse the hand's betting pattern and work out why they did what they did and what they hope to achieve.

b) never show your cards.

You see who gets the better deal??

All the best,
Peter Harris

[BugsBunny]

About the only time that I might show is if there's a player at the table that I really want to put on tilt and I bluffed him out of a nice pot.

In that case I might show the hand to send him over the edge - but he has to be close already. And if I do show I've basically committed to not bluffing for the rest of the session (assuming the table doesn't turn over while I'm there), or at least for quite a while.

oh - the only other time that I occasionally show is if I've been running over the table and been winning a lot of pots more or less in a row without a showdown due to aggressive raises etc. In that case I might show a really good hand to show that I *haven't* been bluffing to try and slow down anyone who's thinking of playing back at me (especially if I have been successfully bluffing a number of pots).


Other than that let them guess. I show **very** rarely, probably a lot less than 1% of hands where the question even comes up (and with most hands it obviously doesn't come up).

[deacsoft]

I agree that a hand should never be shown... in limit poker. Hold 'em is a game of information and you don't want to give any. In the home game with friends and family play how you want and show what you want. However, if the game is competitive or the stakes are high always make everyone pay to see your hand. If you're playing on line or at the casino don't show it. Ever.

I do think that there is one exception to showing and that exception is in no limit hold 'em. In the '03 WSOP Annie Duke takes down a pot, while short stacked, against Homberto Brenes, who is the chip leader of the table, and flashes her ahnd to him. She then says to the ESPN crew covering the event that she showed the hand in an effort to keep Brenes off her back for a while. I'm not sure how it worked otu for her but I didn't see her against Brenes in another pot. I think in terms of logic it makes perfect sense.

So, with the exception of the rarest of situations, I believe it to be a mistake to show your hand at any time you don't have to. Good luck at the tables.

[jdl22]

As I remember it she showed him that she was laying down big slick but would "only do it just this once".

[deacsoft]

That was a different hand in which Tony D went all in and Annie Duke folded and showed her big slick.