Sorry to drift off topic a little, but when would you show your cards? I kind of do it at random for no particular. That said, I have a tendancy to be sportsman like and show my cards when a player makes a tough laydown, provided the atmosphere at the table is friendly. Also, that is in ring games and not tourneys.

Anyone got suggestions for showing cards though?

Originally Posted by Tristan

Sorry to drift off topic a little, but when would you show your cards? I kind of do it at random for no particular. That said, I have a tendancy to be sportsman like and show my cards when a player makes a tough laydown, provided the atmosphere at the table is friendly. Also, that is in ring games and not tourneys.

Anyone got suggestions for showing cards though?

I rarely will do this in live play. By showing down a great hand that someone made a good laydown on, it discourages them from calling you next time in the same situation because a lot of players will call "to see it". If you make them think you will show anyway, they are less likely to call. I encourage you to stop showing hands at the river. It is almost never a good idea, whether a bluff or made hand.
The only time I show a bluff is if I preflop raised in late position on a steal and everyone folded or I won with nothing on a flop bet after stealing. I ONLY do this because in limit I play very tight aggressively preflop and I generally want people to call me. Showing a steal pisses them off next time I raise and they are more likely to call in the blinds with trash. I only use this against loose nontricky players though, in a better game they will play back at you.

Ok Tristan, I'm willing to give you another chance.

So why do we ever show down a hand? Personally, I never do it to be "sportsmanlike". I know a lot of people do, but not me. In fact, the more they seem to want to know what I had when they make a tough laydown, the more inclined I am to not show it.

I only show hands for strategic reasons - that is to reinforce a particular table image or to goad the table into giving me action. For instance, just wrapped up the home game tonight - at one point the table was so tight it squeaked. I was picking up some good hands - KK, JJ, 99 (shorthanded table) and not getting any action. So I started showing the hands I won in a walk - 92, 73, etc. to generate some action around the table. Finally everyone started to loosen up, and started knocking each other out (meanwhile, I tightened my play up while my opponents eliminated each other in the winner take all tourneys we have).

Another reason I might show down hands is to open up more steal attempts. If I raise on the button after its folded around to me with sizable blinds and I get no resistance, I want to reinforce this behavior if I have a decent hand - AT for instance. I want my opponents to think that everytime I'm raising in the CO or on the button that I might really have a hand.

Basically, it's very situational, and I don't ever want to give my opponents information that will either reveal my strategy or make them feel good about their play (always leave that person who makes the "tough laydown" in mental limbo about whether or not they just folded the best hand - they'll be wrecked for at least 5-10 hands afterwards). Imagine, for instance, if that Italian guy with AA on the A44 board against Hellmuth's AK had not shown him the aces!! Hellmuth would be beside himself wondering if he folded the best hand. Instead the Italian guy gives Hellmuth a huge ego boost by basically saying, "yes, you made a great read and laydown". I cringe every time I see that guy show his cards.

I play at low levels (.10/.25) and would definitely show bluffs.
I am not a big bluffer myself but it is amazing how when someone comes in and shows a big bluff or 2 he always gets called on his next few big bets.
Some people aswell are so easy to put on tilt and think that if you bluffed them they have to bluff you back. This is very nice when you hit a big hand against them.

I think the best "bluff" to show is playing a hand like A4 and then betting big on the A on the board and showing it.

I don't know how many times I saw someone do this and made a note "plays Aces with poor kickers" and loosened up my standards, only to find that when I then called him down with a hand like AJ he does indeed have AK.

I know make sure I am not sucked in by this trap anymore!

Originally Posted by WotaWaster

I play at low levels (.10/.25) and would definitely show bluffs.
I am not a big bluffer myself but it is amazing how when someone comes in and shows a big bluff or 2 he always gets called on his next few big bets.
Some people aswell are so easy to put on tilt and think that if you bluffed them they have to bluff you back. This is very nice when you hit a big hand against them.

At the low limit tables, getting players to call is never a problem as the table generally has at least 5 calling stations and fish who are always chasing the miricle card to the river. Showing a bluff to these players just re-enforces in their minds that any two card will do - it's a bad strategy! Individually, calling stns and fish will make you money but in multi-way pots, one of them will hit that miricle card and sink your two pair with a backdoor flush or gut-shot str8 - then who's on tilt?!!!!

Originally Posted by Jason75

Ok Tristan, I'm willing to give you another chance.

So why do we ever show down a hand? Personally, I never do it to be "sportsmanlike". I know a lot of people do, but not me. In fact, the more they seem to want to know what I had when they make a tough laydown, the more inclined I am to not show it.

I only show hands for strategic reasons - that is to reinforce a particular table image or to goad the table into giving me action. For instance, just wrapped up the home game tonight - at one point the table was so tight it squeaked. I was picking up some good hands - KK, JJ, 99 (shorthanded table) and not getting any action. So I started showing the hands I won in a walk - 92, 73, etc. to generate some action around the table. Finally everyone started to loosen up, and started knocking each other out (meanwhile, I tightened my play up while my opponents eliminated each other in the winner take all tourneys we have).

Another reason I might show down hands is to open up more steal attempts. If I raise on the button after its folded around to me with sizable blinds and I get no resistance, I want to reinforce this behavior if I have a decent hand - AT for instance. I want my opponents to think that everytime I'm raising in the CO or on the button that I might really have a hand.

Basically, it's very situational, and I don't ever want to give my opponents information that will either reveal my strategy or make them feel good about their play (always leave that person who makes the "tough laydown" in mental limbo about whether or not they just folded the best hand - they'll be wrecked for at least 5-10 hands afterwards). Imagine, for instance, if that Italian guy with AA on the A44 board against Hellmuth's AK had not shown him the aces!! Hellmuth would be beside himself wondering if he folded the best hand. Instead the Italian guy gives Hellmuth a huge ego boost by basically saying, "yes, you made a great read and laydown". I cringe every time I see that guy show his cards.

So the best thing to do is only show when you bluffed/stole a pot so that you get called next time when you're betting with a monster hand? Not a bad idea that. Cheers.

Or I'd show down strong hands to reinforce a tight/powerful image - particularly when on the big stack in a tourney (to open up more steals).

Of course there are a lot of reasons to show down hands in all kinds of situations . . . too many to list. Basically, I go by the rule that I never show hands down unless it helps me accomplish some strategic goal.

Too many players show down hands for the wrong reasons (typically ego). Against bad players they get away with it. Against good ones, they end up getting killed.

Originally Posted by gder03

i do however show "strong" looking hands that i fold. just so that they know im tight.

With all due respect, I think this is a very bad practice. You're telling everyone at the table that you can be bluffed when you show a big laydown. I'd never do this.

Originally Posted by mxp2004

With all due respect, I think this is a very bad practice. You're telling everyone at the table that you can be bluffed when you show a big laydown. I'd never do this.

agreed