$1/2 NL at the Tropicana - Show Your Bluffs?

[fut]

I would say it is a general consensus that it is harder to put someone on tilt in a casino poker game than it is online.

Online, showing my bluffs earn me more callers easily in my next big hand.

Generally, would you guys say its worth it to show down your bluffs in a Casino game?

[fsuplayer]

i show bluffs if i want more action on my good hands.

[Mike Gallo]

Generally, would you guys say its worth it to show down your bluffs in a Casino game?

Excellent first post and first question.

Welcome aboard.

[fsuplayer]

oh yeah, how rude of me.

Welcome to the forums!

[PokerFink]

Only if you're willing to play tight for a while. I'm not, so I don't show them.

[schwza]

that's interesting - i never show a bluff (or a big hand). i'm just too paranoid about giving info away about my hand.

but last night, i did find myself in a spot where somebody showed a bluff on the river, and then ~20 minutes later i check-raise bluffed him with a weak hand, i think partly out of some dumb desire to "get him back." (but then i spiked an overcard and won a big pot - hehehehe....)

maybe one reason people will give action to a bluff-shower is that they know that if they fold there's a chance they'll be shown a bluff, which is painful. letting a non-shower bluff successfully is less painful because at least you won't be confronted with it.

[smoore]

I don't show bluffs (or any hand for that matter), I figure I'll get caught enough times to let anyone paying attention know that I'm capable. The main reason I don't show them is that it will piss the opponent off, not to mention the guy who, "...would have had you both!!!" That's not my style, I like everyone to think I'm friendly and happy-go-lucky. No one is mad when they actually catch you bluffling because now they have your money.

[Mojo, The Programmer]

My rule of thumb has always been, only show them if you absolutely have to. If you must (to prove that you won the hand), then you must... but otherwise don't bother.

Just my thoughts...

Mojo, the Programmer

[lapoker17]

I read this quote from Mike Caro once, and found it pretty insightful. I follow this approach and believe it to be far more powerful than trying to get someone on tilt. Let other players do that - You can still reap the benefits. Here's the quote:

"What you shouldn’t do — what you must never do — is deny your opponents the chance to escape into their own minds. You want happy opponents who are willing to lose their money to you without feeling the same pain they feel when losing to more strident opponents. The less it hurts them to lose money to you, the more money they will lose to you. That is something I constantly keep in mind when I’m playing poker. It’s so important that I’m going to repeat it. The less it bothers your opponents to lose money specifically to you, the more money they will give you."

[Neil Stevens]

Interesting.. that might suggest the opposite: Show your strong hands, when your opponent made the RIGHT decision.