TO SHOW OR NOT TO SHOW
by Crystal Osgood Gray
One of the most important rules for any new player is to never show your cards. Never give up any information that can be used against you later. …“Unless,” says Linda Johnson. Unless you want your opponent to use that information against you later. Laying down good hands to a raiser and showing the lay down tells your opponent that you are a tight player. But be aware that your opponents might begin to raise you hoping you will lay down your hand again and again. And if you show your bluffs, you may get called a bit more often.
Advanced Hold em coaches suggest to pick your spots and show a hand or two to throw off and confuse your opponents. Not having a clue about what you are holding is the best state for your opponents to be in.
As an example: We were down to two tables at a Ladies event at Commerce Casino. I had been struggling most of the tournament, not getting any cards and having to pick spots and pressure weak players into giving up some chips in order to survive. I had just doubled up for the first time in the tournament and was starting to breath a bit easier when on the button I looked down to find A Q suited. I raised and the small blind leaned back in her chair and said “all in”. My read here was that she is weak. Moving away from her cards; looking off in the distance while she waited for my move. But I had also seen her go all in several times with a weak Ace. It was her play. If she had a hand she would re-raise or wait for the flop to decide to move in or check-raise me. She was a tough tricky player who had announced to the crowd once that she learned to play in Macau. I strongly believed I had the best hand, but she could get lucky and she had me covered in chips. I prefer to make this kind of call at the final table, not here. But if I was going to fold here I wanted some value for my trouble.
I folded and flipped my cards face up. She in turn does the same and shoots me a “I bluffed you” over A 10! She laughed and yelled at her boyfriend standing by stating “this is how the game is played. Now we are playing poker Ladies!”
“Whatever” I thought. “Take it in my friend. I’ll get you I promise!”
A round later, Macau chic and the chip leader were sharing the blinds when I looked down to find two Queens. What a lovely thing. I was in late position so I decided to just call and attempt to trap one of the blinds. Everyone was playing tight because we were down to 13 players. I called. Macau chick calls and the big blind checks. The big blind was a well known pro, who I won’t name here, but we all know her very well.
We all go to the flop, J 4 5. Small blind Macau Chick made a big bet, and big blind pro raised double the bet. My plan here was to push. Before I can think about what I’m doing I push “all in!” Small blind glared at me, looked at the pro and stood up. Wow! I mean Wow! She grabbed and pulls at her hair. “Well I’m beat,” she said and mucks her hand. Pro stared at me. She was taking way too long for not having a monster under there. She looked directly at me and said, “I can’t beat trips!”
“Trips,” I thought. “Well, neither can I!” Who said anything about trips. Well now I feel I’m dead. I could feel her staring at me waiting for my face to break. I tried to breath normal, but Trips!... she must have two pair, I thought. I had about half her stack. We were at 13 players, the good money didn’t start until 9. She looked away and began to count her chips, trying to make a mathematical decision. “You folded A Q earlier,” she said. “You wouldn’t make a play here for all your chips against two players if you didn’t have the nuts.” Then she threw her hand.
I smiled and laid down my hand ever so carefully so as not to let them flip over. I pulled in the big pot and took the chips to the final table where I placed third.
Since then I have showed my hand in well chosen spots and have gotten the same results over and over.
Men and Women Welcome
