Understanding How 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 and so i can get valued from him! "

It has happened me sometimes, but it just isn't always the best mindset to have. I'd like to 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.

Take into account that to slow play, you will 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 cannot but will be unprofitable) against a player who is passive. Player must 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, 7c, 8s

In this example we see that Duc_Volpe includes 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 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 few things may happen:
A person may complete the flush with a non 7 spade and we become 22: 77 underdogs


Everybody checks and Duc_Volpe loses here the right way to play the hand is always to go ahead bet or check-raise. I like check-raise here as it gets more money in the pot and because I don't like to bet before everyone when I do not have the initiative (that is: I did not raise preflop, but called instead).

HOWEVER....

One thing that happens 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're weak players who don't like to "risk money" once they do not have a hand yet, but are prepared to pay up to the river to see if they complete their hand.

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

So let's wrap it up very quickly:

In order to slow play, you need both a monster hand and an aggressive player. In addition, 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. Understand that people in micros want to call significantly more than they want to bet!

Best of luck At The Tables!