Showing your hand

[Eder]

At times I show my hand after a steal raise...usually when it's fairly strong...dunno why...is this bad idea...do you show your steal hand and why? I think I occasionally show QQ or AK thinking my steals will get more respect in future hands...but this might play against me as well...

[ohgeetee]

I dont think showing ever helps more than not showing. i usually only show if it is folded to me and i have aa or something, or if i hit a straight flush and theres no action.

[Dominic]

I\ll show my very strong hands (AA, KK, AK, etc.) when I pick up the blinds with it, or, if it's down to 4 players, show my AQ or PP if I pick up the blinds then, too. The only reason is so I get my opponents thinking I'm solid so I can then pick up the blinds with lesser hands later on. It's strictly only for advertising purposes.

In the same vein, I MAY show a ridiculous bluff early on if I think I can get some callers later when I have a real hand. But only rarely. The problem with showing bluffs is that the next time you raise and the guy you bluffed calls or re-raises you, you have to figure out WHY he's doing that. Is he coming after you with a lesser hand 'cause you put him on tilt? Does he have an average hand since he figuers you're raising with crap again, or does he have a monster and is dying to trap you?

Too many problems to deal with!

That's why I very rarely show my cards unless it only solidifies my rep as a rock.

[edge]

I never show my hand. I don't even have the option--I set it so that my hand automatically mucks if I win without a showdown or lose at a showdown.

[Hood]

[ QUOTE ]
I\ll show my very strong hands (AA, KK, AK, etc.) when I pick up the blinds with it, or, if it's down to 4 players, show my AQ or PP if I pick up the blinds then, too. The only reason is so I get my opponents thinking I'm solid so I can then pick up the blinds with lesser hands later on. It's strictly only for advertising purposes.

[/ QUOTE ]

But then next time you steal the blind with nothing and you don't show, they'll know you didn't have the goods. So you're giving away information.

I always check that 'don't show winning cards' box whever I play so I'm not tempted to show them.

[Dominic]

lol...I didn't say I ALWAYS show my strong hands...only occasionally....nothing wrong with making 'em wonder.

But on the whole, I'm with you...not showing is an almost always better play.

[hockey1]

[ QUOTE ]
I dont think showing ever helps more than not showing. i usually only show if it is folded to me and i have aa or something, or if i hit a straight flush and theres no action.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is just wrong. When you reach a certain skill level you need to be playing your read of your opponents' read of you, and if you can mold that read then you have a significant advantage.

[BigJer]

[ QUOTE ]
i usually only show if it is folded to me and i have aa or something

[/ QUOTE ]

Would it not be better to show only if you had a trash hand? Showing strong hands would reinforce them that they made the right call; whereas showing the weak hand that they folded to might irritate them into playing looser.

I never show as there are players out there who can read my actions better than I can read theirs. Until I develop my knowledge and skills I will continue to not show.

Indeed I tend to ignore other's showing their cards too. By doing it they are trying to represent something. If I act on it in future then they've succeeded. If I don't then I have to wonder whether I'm being set-up anyway.

I'm sure very advanced players can make the showing of cards work for them, but for most surely the best approach is to muck.

[Martin Aigner]

[ QUOTE ]
I never show as there are players out there who can read my actions better than I can read theirs. Until I develop my knowledge and skills I will continue to not show.

[/ QUOTE ]

and

[ QUOTE ]
Indeed I tend to ignore other's showing their cards too

[/ QUOTE ]

Aren´t these two quotes contradictory?

Best regards

Martin Aigner

[stupidsucker]

I dont think showing does much of anything. It has a different affect on each person. People try to analyze a show too much. If you show a strong hand then some people see it and think your tight, others think your next hand will be a bluff. So unless you know how your opponent will view your show then its better to not show at all.

I admit that I am tempted to show after I have stolen a few times in a row with good hands. People get very testy at my tables about stealing. I assume its that way at most tables.