To show or not to show bluffs (Strategy/Metagame NL100)
 

The question is simple. You play a big pot. You feel that you forced opponent to fold the best hand (or maybe fold the worse hand, but you didnt have much either). Do you show?

Examples:

Party NL100, 6-max. This is from memory so I may be inaccurate. Hero is 20/8, Villians in both hands are average
players. Semi-loose, semi-aggressive. Something like
30/5 - 30/7. Effective stacks ~100

Hand1:

Hero is BB with 10[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]10[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. Utg+1 calls, MP raises to 2, folds to hero, hero raises 5, MP raises 8, hero calls.

FLOP(~20$): A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. Hero checks, Villian bets 20, hero calls.

TURN(~60$): A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. Hero leads for 40, Villian folds

Hand2:

Hero is button with 6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

UTG raises to 2, CO calls 2, Hero calls, blinds fold.

FLOP(~8$): 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

UTG bets 1, CO calls 1, Hero raises to 6, UTG folds, CO calls

TURN(~22$): 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

CO checks, Hero bets 15, Co calls

RIVER(~52$) 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 3 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

CO checks, Hero bets 35, Co folds

PS: How do you like my play in those hands by the way?

Re: To show or not to show bluffs (Strategy/Metagame NL100)
 

I usually only show my cards if it helps to push an image that is really the OPPOSITE of how I usually play.

For instance I'm usually tight-agressive, I'll bluff if I have a good read on the opponent though. But more often than not, I'd say I have the goods. So, something I always try to do when I sit down at a game...find someone I can easily bluff. I'll try and bluff him out early, and then I'll show my cards.

When I do this early, people tend to get a different impression of me, and it helps me to get betters when I go back to my tight style.

Re: To show or not to show bluffs (Strategy/Metagame NL100)
 

Yes, I understand your point.

The question is, do you want people to know that you can play big pots with crap?

Re: To show or not to show bluffs (Strategy/Metagame NL100)
 

I rarely ever show, and if I do, its the winning hand, to show that I am not betting with crap.

My image as a TAG is a hard earned image that takes patience. I want people to fear me when I play, pure and simple. I want them to think I have a hand.

I will usually only show my bluffs if it will give me action later on, and my opponents will think about previous hands while making a current decision.

Re: To show or not to show bluffs (Strategy/Metagame NL100)
 

[ QUOTE ]
I rarely ever show, and if I do, its the winning hand, to show that I am not betting with crap.

My image as a TAG is a hard earned image that takes patience. I want people to fear me when I play, pure and simple. I want them to think I have a hand.

I will usually only show my bluffs if it will give me action later on, and my opponents will think about previous hands while making a current decision.

[/ QUOTE ]

i make most of my money off calling stations who believe i am full of [censored]. i don't show them them i have the nuts if i don't have to.

Re: To show or not to show bluffs (Strategy/Metagame NL100)
 

They should find out you play big pots with crap when you stack someone off with a crap hand.

Re: To show or not to show bluffs (Strategy/Metagame NL100)
 

[ QUOTE ]
Yes, I understand your point.

The question is, do you want people to know that you can play big pots with crap?

[/ QUOTE ]

You don't exactly have crap. Sometimes you may be bluffing with the best hand and in the examples you gave, it is possible. I like to show when I have complete and utter garabage like 52o of a qj4 board. Your hands are the in betweens that I would rather just muck and be glad I did not get caught bluffing.

Re: To show or not to show bluffs (Strategy/Metagame NL100)
 

[ QUOTE ]


My image as a TAG is a hard earned image that takes patience. I want people to fear me when I play, pure and simple. I want them to think I have a hand.



[/ QUOTE ]

I also play this way but I want people to loosen up vs me in a big pot...

The qustion is "Is it worth it...?"...

Re: To show or not to show bluffs (Strategy/Metagame NL100)
 

[ QUOTE ]

The qustion is "Is it worth it...?"...

[/ QUOTE ]
I think its neutral EV.
Showing off complete bluffs will get you better action on future hands, but it has a downside. When your leading out with a hand that isn't very stong and you want them to fold they may not because they assume you have crap.

Re: To show or not to show bluffs (Strategy/Metagame NL100)
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

The qustion is "Is it worth it...?"...

[/ QUOTE ]
I think its neutral EV.
Showing off complete bluffs will get you better action on future hands, but it has a downside. When your leading out with a hand that isn't very stong and you want them to fold they may not because they assume you have crap.

[/ QUOTE ]

EXACTLY why I posted this. Is it really neutral EV? Do you get more profit when you pick up more small pots, because you are seen as a rock OR you should show something besides the nuts in a BIG pot, and increase your chances to be payed off BIG later