To Show or Not To Show...

[pocketjacks]

After many years of playing I rarely show a hand anymore unless I am in a friendly game. I know that sounds like an oxymoron... because supposedly there is no such thing as a friendly game, but when we're not playinig for cash I call it friendly...lol Other than that - only the really good hands. If I ever get a Royal yeah I'd show. Everyone wants to see one.

Anyways, I have seen a lot of players who show frequently and I think over time I have learned that you give to much away. Information is power and giving it away for free seems silly. Pro's always say there is a time to show - but I have trouble figuring out why. They say it's to set up an opponent, but how true can that be if showing a bluff or a good hand can be recognized as a setup for later.

[royalspades]

Originally Posted by pocketjacks

After many years of playing I rarely show a hand anymore unless I am in a friendly game. I know that sounds like an oxymoron... because supposedly there is no such thing as a friendly game, but when we're not playinig for cash I call it friendly...lol Other than that - only the really good hands. If I ever get a Royal yeah I'd show. Everyone wants to see one.

Anyways, I have seen a lot of players who show frequently and I think over time I have learned that you give to much away. Information is power and giving it away for free seems silly. Pro's always say there is a time to show - but I have trouble figuring out why. They say it's to set up an opponent, but how true can that be if showing a bluff or a good hand can be recognized as a setup for later.

Your are letting odds players and card counters know the good stuff if you do this.

[rowena105]

The only time you should ever show, if you really really need to, is when you have a Royal or Quads. Other than that everything you do at the table, whether it be to show your cards, pre-select the call button and sometimes even having the raise button checked will give your opponents information. These are on-line tells. Whether you are showing your cards because you bluffed them or showing the cards if you beat them you are telling something about yourself and your style of play.

Everyone asks how do you see "tells" online. Well, if someone has preselected the call button it means that they want to see the flop or the next card without putting in anymore money. If you are at a table and see "call" go fast around the table then you want to bet into that pot 2x the BB to get a few of them out.

Best thing to do.... never show your cards or preselect the options on the hand.

[Tigerstripe]

but can you even be sure they are showing anything ther than computer game cards? Online casinos are not obligated to behave fairly.

[The Professor]

I agree - never give information away when you don't have to. I always have "AutoMuck" option selected if the software allows it, so that it doesn't even give me the option of showing or not (and so I don't have the hassle of clicking "don't show" each time).

It can be incorporated into a strategy to set up a future play - but it really is not necessary - you can achieve the same by not showing.

You also need to know how to play against opponents who are showing cards bearing in mind that they are on the setup for future plays. There is a good section in the Winning Poker Strategy guide on Showing Poker Hands that deals with this topic well.