question for guys who play a lot of live texas hold 'em

[blueedwards]

i play quite a bit and have noticed that some guys will show their winning hand when they don't have to sometimes. i never do this.

usually, they will show when they have it...i.e. pocket aces or whatever. that doesn't make sense to me. if i were to ever show a hand, it would be a hand that i won with rags. then they would be more apt to call me...which is what i want most of the time since i play pretty conservatively and am usually in the hand only when i feel like i have the best cards. i bluff at it maybe two or three times a night. so, if i was ever gonna show a hand, it would be a hand i bluffed at and won. if i have pocket aces and make a bet that drives everyone out, then i show the aces...what the hell does that prove? all it proves is i was lucky enough to get dealt 2 aces.

is there something i am missing or are these guys just idiots?

 

[bulldog77]

Maybe they are setting up a bluff later by showing the other players that they were not bluffing that time. At low stakes(which is all I really play) most doing this are probably just idiots!

 

[blueedwards]

i guess my point is, the only thing you cannot control in this game is the cards. everything else, whether to check or bet, how much to bet, when to raise, when to fold, when to go all in...that is all under your control as the player. if you do those things right, you will win and probably strike fear in the heart of your opponents in the process.

i want my opponents to fear me. i think the best way to accomplish this is for them to have absolutely no idea what cards i have when i am betting. if i make a bet that drives the players out, then show them 2 aces...that does not strike fear in anybody. all it does is make them glad they did not call me.

if i make a bet that drives everyone out and i show them a 9d, 4c...that would either get them to fear me or get them to think i am a loose cannon.

either way, i have them right where i want them.

 

[theswami]

Blue-

Here is the way to think about what you see.

1) Like all things in poker, it depends. A player could decide to show a hand for many different reasons depending on the way the game is being played and the lineup he's playing against.

2) This is the most important explanation behind what you see.....70%-80% OF THE PLAYERS WHO PLAY LIVE DO SO FOR FUN AND/OR BECAUSE THEY ARE GAMBLERS. These guys don't have a strategy or approach to the game, they just play. Showing AA or KK is just kind of cool for them.

 

[blueedwards]

Blue-

Here is the way to think about what you see.

1) Like all things in poker, it depends. A player could decide to show a hand for many different reasons depending on the way the game is being played and the lineup he's playing against.

2) This is the most important explanation behind what you see.....70%-80% OF THE PLAYERS WHO PLAY LIVE DO SO FOR FUN AND/OR BECAUSE THEY ARE GAMBLERS. These guys don't have a strategy or approach to the game, they just play. Showing AA or KK is just kind of cool for them.

i agree with #2. i dont see a reason to ever show a hand...but if i did it would be a hand that i bought with a strong bet.

 

[theswami]

Blue-

I disagree with you here just a little on a few things. I think there can be reasons to show hands AND at times I do not want my opponents to fear me. Frankly, if I'm not playing with friends I would rather have peole think I'm an idiot.

If I'm at a table that leans toward being too tight, I OFTEN show a bluff. Actually, I try to play a few hands in a row and then show a bluff. I will literally play any two cards and try to win the hand so I can show the rags. If that won't work to lossen up the table then it is time for me to get a table change.

I will also show a big hand (AA-JJ and AK) when the table is tight AND I've won a few hands in a row with little opposition or have won like 3 out of 4 or 5 again with little opposition. My goal there would be to show that I actually have big hands or on a lucky run. I then promptly loosen up and drag pot with rags that hit or bluff to a few winners.

IMO,when I play to win (versus playing for fun with friends) I try to manipulate the players, table style, pot sizes, etc. as much as possible.

 

[blueedwards]

i hear what you are saying. for me, i think the best strategy is to keep them guessing. so, i show nothing unless i have to. i played in a game a couple months ago where it was so tight, i saw that i could raise it at any time and i would not get called unless someone had aces or kings. i think i won 6 or 7 pots before i even had to show a hand.

 

[theswami]

I think our goal is the same as far as keeping them guessing. I think that is the point, I try to show when the game is not suited to maximizing my profit so I show hands that either a) confirm their beliefs/actions (then switch it up) or b) show hands that get the other players to alter their play against me in a way that falls into my strength.

The bottom line, I don't like showing my hands and rarely do. The only time I do it is if the table is very tight and I think the players will take note and change their style. 8/10 times the table is that tight, I leave and go to a new table.

For the majority of players, including myself, a table that is that tight will probably not be profitable over the long term.

Generally, showing is a bad idea but in some situations I think it is a VERY good idea.

 

[Megacapper]

I show some for effect. Just a judgment. Depends on the game and the situation.

 

[Woody0]

I also like to keep my opponents guessing and rarely show my hand. I basically never show a bluff and rarely show a good hand (e.g. KT making Broadway but not AA) to illustrate I have the goods. This allows me to bluff in appropriate spots.

Some players seem to feel they have to share their good luck of getting a big pocket pair with the rest of the table while others like to show successful bluffs.

It's amazing how a tight table can be opened up by one gambler and also by the use of a live straddle.

 

[DarrylParsons]

Blue,

You are right in that it is probably a bad strategy on their part to show their hands, but remember, the worst strategy decision has already been made by sitting down at the table in the first place.

The psychology of it IMO is that many people think bluffing is a nasty thing to do and so they want to show you they weren't bluffing so you won't think they are a jerk. Maybe 1 time in 20 you'll get a guy doing this to set up bluffs later on, but 19 times out of 20 you can safely assume the guy will never bluff. It's just a personality thing and a desire to be accepted. My advice -- just be happy you're getting free information, say nh whenever they show it, and don't try to overanalyse it.

 

[QuincyMike]

i play quite a bit and have noticed that some guys will show their winning hand when they don't have to sometimes. i never do this.

usually, they will show when they have it...i.e. pocket aces or whatever. that doesn't make sense to me. if i were to ever show a hand, it would be a hand that i won with rags. then they would be more apt to call me...which is what i want most of the time since i play pretty conservatively and am usually in the hand only when i feel like i have the best cards. i bluff at it maybe two or three times a night. so, if i was ever gonna show a hand, it would be a hand i bluffed at and won. if i have pocket aces and make a bet that drives everyone out, then i show the aces...what the hell does that prove? all it proves is i was lucky enough to get dealt 2 aces.

is there something i am missing or are these guys just idiots?

I show my winning cards when I don't have to but not often, not the majority of the time, and not when I don't want my opponents to know what my winning cards were. There are two main reasons for when I do show.

1) If I want to advertise that I only play premium hands. Say I've been sitting at a table for a few hours and have barely called the big blind even once. Then I play a hand and take the pot down with a bet on the flop. The table could think two things. I finally got a quality starting hand, or I got impatient and just decided to play it aggressive regardless of the cards. I want them to think the first thought, so that way I would show.

2) I really do only play premium hands, and I rarely overplay a hand, especially pre-flop. If for some reason I am in a hand with cards that I would never play, (but for some reason played) I'd advertise that. So the next time I'm in a hand with something like AK, the table would be more likely to pay me off with my strong hand.

 

[cadillacman]

I never show my hand if the others have folded. I just a preference of mine.

 

[johnskelington]

I never show a winning hand bluffing or not..........but I always be sure to say "you did the right thing" because, from my point of view, putting $$ in my pocket IS the right thing.
I play with a lot of different people and I've found that the guys I consider better players rarely show their winning hands. It's the guys that can't stand the chance to gloat that will show a bluff. I think better players aren't there to show off they're there to take your money.
Having said that there's a time & place for everything.

 

[TampaLuke]

There can be lots of reasons to show your hand. It depends on your style, you can create goodwill by showing your hand. That can be worth quite a bit. You can get info on other players hand by showing yours. If you are strong enough of a player to be aware of your image in the minds of the other players, you can manipulate that.

There is no absolute right or wrong answer to this question. Talking in absolutes in poker terms is usually a mistake, as an earlier poster said.