Showing your hand when you don't have to

[Fiery Jack]

I notice some players on line will happily show their hand when they win uncontested, even though they are not obliged to.

Usually its for one of 3 reasons

a) To show they had a strong hand
b) To advertise they bet with nothing and got away with it
c) They were in the BB and nobody completed the bet

I never show my hand under any of these circumstances, anyone think I ought to sometimes?

[Cpt Spaulding]

I do all the time... If I show a string of strong hands then that plants a seed in the others minds that I don't mess around and opens the door for bluffs....Then I will show one of my bluffs and that will confuse the other players on my cards...Always keep the same betting style though...If someone constantly mucks winning hands I feel they would be more likely to be called by a so so hand. If they have shown stronger hands in the past that might get the other to fold the iffy hands....Do what you are comfortable with. If not showing your hands works don't try to fix it...

[golFUR]

Unless it directly contradicts a certain image and playing style I think showing hands is a must.

So much of poker is about information, what you are able to pick up about the players at your table. Just as much though, and I believe a lot of 'younger' players neglect this, is how you are perceived (and how you can use that to your advantage). Showing hands is sometimes the best way to get some useful information out there.

The best examples of these are found in heads up play and the analogy most useful to me is Paper, Rock, Scissors. Granted, poker is a more complicated game, but the thinking is similar. You have a very limited number of options and the best plays are going to be made by the best informed of the players. The analogy only breaks down in that rock never outdraws paper...

If I build up an image of a tight aggressive player, if in the first 40 hands of a SnG I only show down big pairs or suited black jacks, very soon people come to expect those hands from me. If I keep the image going with a show every once in a while it ends up being rather easy to steal pots and to steal blinds later on.

If on the other hand, I bring in a speculative pocket in late position, say 8 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] T [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] and hit with it... If I show this my 'image' is busted. Not to say I'll give up a pot, but I'll do my darndest to win without having to show it...

The simple 'advertising' play I've never much cared for. To raise big preflop with garbage and then to show... This only advertises one thing, that you hope to be called later, it fools very few people.

Good shows to me include:
Showing a monster laydown to induce bluffs later.
The 'goodwill' laydown wherein you confirm a good player's good fold, especially a chip leaders or the like.
The third in a string of blind steals in which you can't not raise but you just know the field isn't buying this many pockets.
And of course heads up... deserves its own forum...

[esknights]

Don't listen to these other guys. Never show your hands and you never give away any information.

[Cerril]

The only time I show my hand in a B&M setting is when it's folded to me on the big blind. Then I haven't played the hand so I'll just flip it over. The most I do otherwise is to tell people 'good laydown' on a fold or something. And that's only true some of the time.

Online I keep the 'don't show' buttons checked all the time so there's never a decision on that for me to make. There -is- value in advertising a play style now and then, especially a bluff, but you have to know your audience.

[stir]

Online they are either so inexperienced, or so clueless about giving away information, that the don't active the:
Muck any loser button

[rodeonut]

I almost never give away informaiton. If someone wants to see my hand then they can pay for it. Some players will start to pay you off just to see your hand. I think it is better to keep them in the dark with as little information as possible.

[Cpt Spaulding]

[ QUOTE ]
Don't listen to these other guys. Never show your hands and you never give away any information.

[/ QUOTE ]

Garbage....Giving away specific info to mislead others is very important. It is about just showing every hand..Strategically show hands. Make them think what you want them to think about you, so you now have more info on them by knowing what they know about you and your style of play. It is all about strategy and manipulation.

[Cpt Spaulding]

[ QUOTE ]
Online they are either so inexperienced, or so clueless about giving away information, that the don't active the:
Muck any loser button

[/ QUOTE ]

Then there are others who don't have the skills or experience to know how to use the muck any loser hand option...So they just muck them all...

[BusterStacks]

I rarely show unless I'm 1 or 2 seats from leaving the table and I push someone off a better hand.