Learning To Play Poker - Simple Strategies To Win

This 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 isn't always the right mindset to have. Let me start by defining what slowplay is:

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

Remember that to slow play, you really need to have a near-unbeatable hand, such as a emerge 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 new player who is passive. Player has to really be a maniac to play, because otherwise you will definately get checked behind.

Duc Volpe 2c 2d

3 more players enter the pot.

Flop: 2s, 7c, 8s

In this example we see that Duc_Volpe has a set of deuces. It would be unprofitable for him to slow play here because it's a multi-way pot and it is a drawy board; it's bound to take place often that the 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 person 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 to go ahead bet or check-raise. I like check-raise here because it gets more income in the pot and because I don't like to bet before everyone when I don't possess the initiative (that is: I did not raise preflop, but called instead).

HOWEVER....

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

People in micros like to call a bet rather than make it themselves. And it sounds logical as they're weak players who can't stand 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 approach to take, because even in flops as dry as they can get, if people hold suited cards they could be willing to call to see if the turn brings them a draw, or even 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 poker qq and an aggressive player. You also need to be significantly consistent with your actions because if you've never slow played any hand, it will look extremely suspicious even to fishes that do not give consideration.

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 want to call a lot more than they want to bet!

Best of luck At The Tables!