Showing strong hands in 6max limit

[wadea]

I play mostly 1/2 6-max (Party skin) and some 2/4 5-max (PokerRoom skin). In the past, I have always subscribed to the "never show your cards" theory. However, I've recently been experimenting with showing EVERY strong hand after I've made people fold and never showing bluffs. The theory is that fold equity is so much more valuable in 6-max limit compared to getting called down a lot. Of course people probably know that if I don't show, I've got garbage. However, people seem to remember what they actually see much more vividly that what they have been forced to assume.

In the very short term, it has been working quite nicely for me. I definitely have noticed that my pre-flop raises and flop bets get folded around much more frequently.

What does everybody else think about this strategy? Strengths and weaknesses?

-w.a.

[jba]

If you do this your opponent will know which hands you wait for the turn to raise, he'll know which hands you will c/r from early position against a PFR, etc etc

I think you give up too much, and the benefits I think are overstated

[Moneyline]

I think this is a poor strategy. First off, if an opponent is forced to make an uncomfortable fold, and then you show him your big hand, you've just boosted that players confidence and he's likely to play the same or better than he was playing before. If you don't show and just let him stew about it there's a good chance he'll start steaming.

Another problem with this strategy is that you're giving away a lot of information. Observant players will catch on, and get a very good idea of how you play (your raising standards, bluffing frequency, etc.). I suspect the players who will get intimidated by your strategy are poor players who are quite likely to call you down. Against these opponents I think you'll have far more success if you try to encourage calls as opposed to discouraging them.

I don't mean to rip into you personally here, but I just think you have chosen a very poor strategy.

[wadea]

No offense taken. I was asking for feedback exactly like this. As I said in the OP, I'm experimenting with this strategy. My normal MO is to never show hands. I appreciate your feedback and agree with your points. However, in the spirit of learning more about how people react to this strategy in practice (vs. in theory), I plan to continue showing strong cards for a bit longer and seeing how it goes. More than likely, I'll be back to my normal play in <2,000 hands.

I'm still interested in what others have to say. Any more opinions?

-w.a.

turn on auto muck and stop thinking about it

[kahntrutahn]

I'll show one or two if I've been bluffing alot of pots away, just to keep it going... or, I'll occasionally show if I've gotten caught bluffing a couple times at the table recently, just to strike a bit of fear back in.

[wackjob]

I never show, with the exception of someone folding when I hold a straight flush.. which is about never.

[thesharpie]

I sometimes show when I raise monsters on the button, they can't get anything from that since I raise a wide variety of hands there and hopefully it gives me a slight bit more fold equity. Also if I raise preflop, get heads up and bet and they instantly fold I'll show something like a flopped set with a premium starting hand since I would bet there with almost anything and again it might gain a little fold equity. I usually only do this if I've been stealing alot recently.