A stunt/joke that is turning into something more

[Percula]

I play a lot of wide spread limit which makes for some big bet poker from time to time. The game I play in has a fair amount of "air play" (wild bluffing). As a result people make what they at least feel is a "big laydown" and ask to see cards or do the classic "what did you have?".

So one session after hearing "what did you have?" or more often "what do you have?" during the hand I got sick of it and told a player, you can see them for half the uncalled bet after you muck your hand and I am pushed the pot. Too my total shock the guy paid half the maximum bet I put out on the turn and I flipped em up showing the second nuts.

So after that I started from time to time to make the same offer to other players. And still to my shock I get several people paying the half bet to see what the heck I am betting with.

Now I haven't played much live lately and decided to head down for a session Saturday. Too my shock and surprise the shoe was on the other foot and from a player I have never seen before in my life! Just to be clear here I did not directly ask him what he had, but wondered out loud "humm wonder if he has the flush" with my boat in hand. Lots of action insued.

After the hand I asked where the hell he picked up that stunt?!?! And he turns around and points to one of solid regulars, well will call Pete, in the game at another table. Again I am surprised as I have never done that with him or to the best of my memory never when he was at the table.

I get up and go talk to "Pete"... And I explained what just happened to me and asked him where he picked it up and you guessed it, he points to yet another solid regular a couple of tables over. And low and behold this is someone I have done this to.

Pete and I decide to take a walk. I respect Pete, he is a good thinking player and a lurker here. I told him how the whole stunt started and had from time to time continued.

We talked about the value of this for awhile. Here are some of the things we came up with...

From a meta game stand point it is a pretty strong play to offer up information that you are not required to provide. It doesn't matter if you are showing air or the mortal nuts, it tells the other players that are paying attention (which at the level I play at is 50% to 100%) that you are confident enough in your skills that it doesn't matter if they gain information, rather it is true or not.

From a money stand point, the number of times I get the payoff versus a fold in the very small sample is strongly ahead.

From a playing the player stand point I often can put someone on tilt or give them a sense of confidence that is not warranted. With this I have been able to earn many times the maximum bet from the player later in the session.

So is this just a long term stupid stunt that is catching on, or is it something that really has some mert?