Deliberately annoying the table as a tactic

[scottgiese]

You say you "usually never show [your] cards, ever, unless..." -- okay, that right there highlights a problem in your logic. You can't really "usually never" do something; you either never do it, or you sometimes do it, or you always do it. So which is it gonna be?

I say, if you're going to show your cards (and I did say "if"), you should really have a good reason to do so. That reason may be to show everyone what a good play you made to earn their admiration and respect, or it may make the game "friendlier" and add to your enjoyment, or it may be a move designed to throw your opponents off in later hands. Anytime you show your cards, you are giving your opponents free information, but I won't deny that showing cards may be correct strategy in the hands of an expert.

Feeling that your "opponent was playing well, and folded properly" is not a good reason in and of itself to show cards, however. You're reinforcing your opponents' behavior when they make the right play, which is generally only a good poker play in the Bizarro world. You might want to show down a big hand if you tend to bluff a lot and want people to always think you're betting with big hands, so they'll keep folding. But good players will see through this, and know you were probaby bluffing if you *didn't* show your cards on other hands. You're now giving away info on how often you bluff, even on hands you aren't showing.

Personally, I say if people want to see my cards, they can put their money in the pot. I tend to get amnesia when nobody calls me.