How and When to Slowplay in Texas Holdem Poker
How and When to Slowplay in Texas Holdem Poker
Slowplaying involves not betting out with a strong hand during early betting rounds in a poker game. The idea is that, by not alerting your opponents to the fact that you have a strong hand, you will be able to extract more money later in the hand - since you opponents will believe you are weak. Slowplaying has its risks, and many beginners make key mistakes with this play that actually end up costing them money rather than making more. This article outlines the best situations to use this move - and those times not to do this.
Disguising you big hands often starts before the flop. Many new players routinely 'check' their aces and kings, hoping that there will be a raise from an opponent so they can spring a 'surprise' re-raise. This is dangerous for several reasons. By checking you are letting a lot of opponents see the flop, a collection of small pairs, suited and connected hands can easily flop a strong hand against you - if you are unable to get away from your high pair when the action gets heavy you will often find your self on the losing end of a showdown.
Secondly, many players give away their hands too early by only checking with strong hands before the flop. If you alert experienced opponents to your holding in this way then you tend to win the small pots when they miss and lose very big ones when they manage to out-draw you. Raising with a wide range of hands is the ideal disguise for when you hold a monster, and has the added benefit of building a bigger pot early for when you are strong!
Slowplaying is most common on the flop betting round. Here there are several factors which should decide whether you choose to check or to bet out. Firstly the number of opponents in the hand is important - as well as their tendencies. With several passive opponents you can bet out, someone will have enough to call you and they might not bet if you check. With several aggressive opponents you can often check, planning to re-raise once the pot is bigger. Against a single opponent the need to slow down increases - you can let your opponent take a card to catch up a little with your hand.
One of the most important factors in your decision to use this move should be the texture of the flop. If there are suited and connected cards - for example 8-J-Q with 2 spades - then the flop is 'draw heavy'. Here, giving a free card might lead you to lose the hand, you will win more over time by charging any drawing hands to see the next card. Conversely 2-7-Q with 3 different suits is said to be a 'dry flop'. Here there are few draws which can beat you, slowplaying here can work better - for example a king on the turn might give your opponent enough of a hand to call more bets on later streets.
Remember, if you always check the flop when strong and bet when weak, observant opponents will soon start taking your money - they will know what your bets mean! Use the slowplay as part of a balanced strategy and it will make you money over time.
Slowplaying involves not betting out with a strong hand during early betting rounds in a poker game. The idea is that, by not alerting your opponents to the fact that you have a strong hand, you will be able to extract more money later in the hand - since you opponents will believe you are weak. Slowplaying has its risks, and many beginners make key mistakes with this play that actually end up costing them money rather than making more. This article outlines the best situations to use this move - and those times not to do this.
Disguising you big hands often starts before the flop. Many new players routinely 'check' their aces and kings, hoping that there will be a raise from an opponent so they can spring a 'surprise' re-raise. This is dangerous for several reasons. By checking you are letting a lot of opponents see the flop, a collection of small pairs, suited and connected hands can easily flop a strong hand against you - if you are unable to get away from your high pair when the action gets heavy you will often find your self on the losing end of a showdown.
Secondly, many players give away their hands too early by only checking with strong hands before the flop. If you alert experienced opponents to your holding in this way then you tend to win the small pots when they miss and lose very big ones when they manage to out-draw you. Raising with a wide range of hands is the ideal disguise for when you hold a monster, and has the added benefit of building a bigger pot early for when you are strong!
Slowplaying is most common on the flop betting round. Here there are several factors which should decide whether you choose to check or to bet out. Firstly the number of opponents in the hand is important - as well as their tendencies. With several passive opponents you can bet out, someone will have enough to call you and they might not bet if you check. With several aggressive opponents you can often check, planning to re-raise once the pot is bigger. Against a single opponent the need to slow down increases - you can let your opponent take a card to catch up a little with your hand.
One of the most important factors in your decision to use this move should be the texture of the flop. If there are suited and connected cards - for example 8-J-Q with 2 spades - then the flop is 'draw heavy'. Here, giving a free card might lead you to lose the hand, you will win more over time by charging any drawing hands to see the next card. Conversely 2-7-Q with 3 different suits is said to be a 'dry flop'. Here there are few draws which can beat you, slowplaying here can work better - for example a king on the turn might give your opponent enough of a hand to call more bets on later streets.
Remember, if you always check the flop when strong and bet when weak, observant opponents will soon start taking your money - they will know what your bets mean! Use the slowplay as part of a balanced strategy and it will make you money over time.
