Most players slow play monster hands. It seems that
players think that there is something inherently sharp about trying to be
sneaky, setting a trap or surprise for one’s opponents.
Now, the first player who ever slow played a full
house or quads was a true innovator. He probably did manage to genuinely
surprise his opponents and leave them baffled and poor. But, again, in today’s
game, most players slow play monster hands. This automatically means that in
most cases you will be better off by betting your big hands.
The basic logic behind slow playing is that you are
scared that everyone will fold. In addition, there is something satisfying in making
a check-raise, almost as if saying, “I got you.” However, this play has become
so common that it is widely expected. Even if someone makes a small bet to try
to steal the pot, your raise will be last action you see.
On the other hand, if you make a bet, the average
opponent won’t put you on a monster hand, and thus will make a call that can
eventually get her into bigger trouble (a pair that later improves to two pair
and eventually loses to your trips, for instance).
Let’s consider an example. You are holding A-7 of
spades and you hit a flush right on the flop. You are up against two opponents
and are first to act. Most players in this situation will just knock on the table
for a check. However, what are they really hoping will happen here? Obviously, they
can see the three spades on the table and this is a huge red flag for them.
None of them will come over the top with any hand, so it is almost impossible
to trap them here. They will assume that if someone hit the flush, she will
check, so they will be cautious.
However, if you make a bet, you are more likely to confuse
them. They might think you are stealing the pot, and try to bluff you by
representing a straight, or maybe try to chase another spade if they already
have one. In any event, in this situation, you are more likely to get a call
than a bet, so you are more likely to make money by betting than by checking
and hoping to get a chance to raise.
Another problem with slow playing is that you are
often setting yourself up for disaster. Checking gives your opponents a chance
to see free cards, something they will relish if they are chasing a monster of
their own. There is hardly anything more crippling for your bankroll then a big
hand when someone else hits a bigger hand. You should be especially careful for
these situations. For instance, if you hit a set on the flop and there is a
flush draw, you should not only bet, you should do it very aggressively.
Of course, this is not to say that slow playing
should never be done. In a case where you know have an incredibly rare big hand
and you are absolutely sure nobody has anything, it might be smart to let your
opponents see another card in hopes they catch something.
To illustrate this, let’s say you are holding
pocket 7s and the flop hits 7, 7, 5. Obviously you don’t expect that anybody
else has caught anything or that someone can draw out on you. Your only chance
of cashing your quads here is if your opponents improve on the flop or river.
You should give them the chance to do so. This is a situation where slow
playing is smart. However, in general this strategy has been so widely used
that it is more profitable and “sneaky” to just bet your big hands.
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