[M.B.E.]

Let's consider an extreme example, where the pot is very large in relation to your stack.

We'll say blinds 250/500, ante 50. You post the ante and big blind which leaves you with 2000 in chips. Someone with a huge stack limps in MP, everyone else folds (including the SB), you have T6o and check. Now the flop comes T66 rainbow. Pot is 1750, huge in relation to your remaining stack. Does this fact -- that the pot is so large -- militate in favour of slowplaying, or against it? I would say the large pot militates in favour of slowplaying.

Maybe your opponent has two outs to beat you. Or maybe he needs to catch runner runner. Either way, it's not a big deal to let him have a free card. I'd say your best play is to check. Then if your opponent makes a small bet, just call rather than checkraising.

If your opponent has 88, let's say, and goes on to catch an 8 on the turn to beat you, well those are the breaks. He might well have called your checkraise anyway with 88. You haven't lost all that much when this unlikely event occurs. If instead of 88 your opponent has something like 87 or A3 or 55, you really want him to catch his card because if he does, then it's highly likely you can get 2000 more from him (whereas he'd fold if you bet out on the flop).

So even though in this example the pot is huge in relation to your stack, it isn't your objective to take it down right away: slowplaying is better.

Now modify this example so that the pot is small. We'll divide everything by 10, except for your stack size. Thus blinds are 25/50, ante 5, and after you check with T6o in your big blind, you have 2000 left in your stack, your opponent has you covered, and the pot is just 175. Now slowplaying is a poor option when the flop comes T66. Now, if your opponent does have something like 88 and catches his 8, he easily could get your stack. But, if your opponent has A3s and catches an ace, you won't get 2000 from him (as you would have in the previous example where the large pot would stimulate your opponent's action if he makes a second-best hand). Here, with a small pot, slowplaying by check-calling the flop would be a terrible idea.

This is the type of situation I had in mind when I said that in NL you should be more inclined to slowplay when the pot is big than when it is small.

Comments?