Understanding How To Play Poker - Simple Strategies To Win

radartegal.comThis article will address the main question of whether to slowplay or be aggressive. Probably more than once you've thought: "Hey I have the nuts! I'll let villain hit his hand therefore i can get valued from him! "

It has happened me sometimes, but it just isn't always the proper mindset to have. Allow me to start by defining what slowplay is:

Slow play is when you check or call a bet to be able to "under-represent" your hand vs . villain, so he may "over-play" his own hand.

Take into account that to slow play, you really need to have a near-unbeatable hand, such as a set in a super dry flop, or the nut straight in a non-flush non-paired board.

Also, you cannot slow play (well you can't but will be unprofitable) against a person who is passive. Player needs to really be a maniac to play, because otherwise you're going to get checked behind.

Duc Volpe 2c 2d

3 more players enter the pot.

Flop: 2s, dominoqq 7c, 8s

In this example we see that Duc_Volpe features a set of deuces. It would be unprofitable for him to slow play here because it's a multi-way pot and it's a drawy board; it's bound to take place often a player here may hold here a flush draw and most likely chase it until the river.

If Duc_Volpe decides to slow play here a couple of things may happen:
A new player may complete the flush with a non 7 spade and we become 22: 77 underdogs


Every one checks and Duc_Volpe loses here the proper way to play the hand is always to go ahead bet or check-raise. I like check-raise here as it gets more income in the pot and because I don't like to bet in front of everyone when I don't have the initiative (that is: I didn't raise preflop, but called instead).

HOWEVER....

One thing that occurs in micros with slow playing is the next: you're not going to profit much from this strategy.

People in micros like to call a bet rather than make it themselves. And it sounds logical as they are weak players who dislike to "risk money" when they do not have a hand yet, but are prepared to pay up to the river to see if indeed they complete their hand.

So in general, being aggressive is a much better way to go, because even in flops as dry as they will get, if people hold suited cards they may be willing to call to see if the turn brings them a draw, or to see if their overcard hit.

So let's wrap it up very quickly:

To be able to slow play, you need both a monster hand and an aggressive player. Additionally you need to be notably consistent with your actions because if you've never slow played any hand, it will look extremely suspicious even to fishes that do not take notice.

Slow playing might work if the condition above is fulfilled, otherwise, you are going to have a much easier time extracting value out of your monsters by playing the hand straight-forwardly. Remember that people in micros like to call more than they prefer to bet!

All the best At The Tables!