When to show your hand
 

Hello all,

Does anyone have any rhyme or reason to when they decide to show others at the table your hand? Do you always show when you've made a succesful bluff? Do you show a big, uncalled hand to show you've got the goods? Do you show when they show (pretty silly in my opinion, but some seem to think that there is some breech of etiquette when they do and you don't)?

I don't use auto-muck, simply because I want to make the decision myself, but many times I don't even make it to the button when I do want to show, or afterwards I think to myself...probably should have shown that one for advertising.

Anyway, interested to hear others thoughts on this one.

CCC

Re: When to show your hand
 

As a rule I never show and keep auto muck on. I try to keep them guessing.

Re: When to show your hand
 

I usually only show my hand when....

1) I don't have much respect for my opponents play
2) I'm getting too much/too little action on my bluff/monsters
and
3) I think they'll react to my weak little advertising play

cheers.

Re: When to show your hand
 

If I've won three hands in a row, and the first two were bluffs and the third was pocket aces, then I show the third hand. I'm just trying to leave the impression that all three were "real" hands so the next bluff they'll remember. Of course if someone is tilting and you just stole the blind with 62o then you might show to just help push them over the edge !

Otherwise I rarely show, just don't want to give away any information.

Re: When to show your hand
 

triplec,
I show one hand in maybe 100.
Automuck is on. i don't show losers (with exception below).
I will occaisionally show a winner, especially when i have been making a living recently bluffing/stealing.
If i wish to show a bluff, i will make/call a small bet, where my 35o will be shown, not mucked. Ie: i am not last, and i think the guy who is winning is last.

Doc

Re: When to show your hand
 

gosox:
I love the kick the guy on tilt in the nutz approach! had not occured to me.

LMAO

Doc

Re: When to show your hand
 

I can respect that, he who is not Mitch, but it seems to me that most pros will show their hands at various times simply to advertise. Usually it's when they are bluffing. It seems like this should be a tool in the poker toolbox, like anything else.

I'm not advocating showing every hand, but it would seem that a well-timed showing of a hand could be a positive move.

Some of the times I will show (sometimes for comedic value if nothing else) is when I'm in the Big Blind and it gets folded around to me and I have a hand like 27o or AA. When it's 27o, I'll type "thanks" in the chat bar, and when it's AA I'll type "you bastards...lol" or something to that effect. Stupid, I realize, but is there harm in doing this?

The only other time that I will show hands as a rule, is when I make a real grandstand play, which is less than one time in each tourney. I have 94o, I'm shortstacked and I steal the blinds...I'll show the hand so that the next time I go all in with my big hands I'll get a caller...hopefully.

CCC

Re: When to show your hand
 

I normally do not show to many hands, but I make an exception if it is late in the tourney and I have been stealing several blinds in a row. That is about the only time i'll show.

Re: When to show your hand
 

I dont use showing cards for 3 reasons, the first I already mentioned. Secondly I tend to be the tightest player at the table and everytime I have taken down a pot at showndown the hand has been big most of the time. I want my image to be super super tight because I do steal a lot later in the game and a lot of people don't seem to understand I have shifted gears. Sure I could show the AA when people fold to my bet but I think even that starts get people to notice you and start thinking about how you play (see below).

Lastly at the lower levels I play at when thinking about a call or a fold most players arent even really thinking about what you hold only the cards they hold. And if I have given them info about me it may jump out at them and get them thinking about what I have. I'd rather try to keep them operating on a lower level.

Re: When to show your hand
 

I show when I'm in the BB and everyone folded out to me. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]