Slow playing ... for or against?.

[JdhMac]

Obviously there are two sides to this debate. Some see slow playing as a strategic move, while others simply dismiss it with the advice of playing aggressively if you have the hand.

I was recently made a fool when in an MTT, the player sitting to my right REALLY slow played his hand. He had pocket Aces and the flop was ragged and a rainbow... something like 6-4-9. I had Ace-Nine so I bet semi-aggressively whenever said opponent ALWAYS checked it over to me. A 2 fell with the Turn and again he checks and I bet a decent amount. Then comes the ever surprising River card... fittingly an the last Ace fell. He again checks if over to me and obviously I make a larger bet this time around having top two pair. He then re-raises. I had this guy figured for some egotistical, "you can't bully me", kind of player so I assumed he was simple trying to throw something back at me to scare me away. Wasn't I wrong...

My question isn't really how well or badly I played this hand, since all I could give you was a brief summary, etc. It's more as to where you stand and how you feel about slow playing?. Especially a monster such as his pocket Aces?...

[Mist]

Well, there are times when slowplaying is the best option, and times when it isn't.

It depends on so many things, because every situation in poker is different and no hands are identically the same.

Therefore I can't give you a yes/no answer.

But, a good thing to remember is that you generally shouldn't be slowplaying a hand unless you have the nuts. Though this doesn't mean that you should'nt slowplay weaker hands, but it's just an advice that suits people who may be new to poker and are still learning the basic strategies.

And to your question regarding slowplaying aces. I usually never slowplay them, but then again it all depends on so many things, like your own table image, tournament structure, opponents image, the whole tables image, stacksizes, my previous plays, position etc... It just depends on so many things.

[YellowRoses]

I have slow played a nut flush, but with AA I have seen to many times when they get busted so don't usually slow play them. Mist makes a good point though alot depends on the table and position.

[Dodgey]

I only slow play when It looks like I won't get any value for a monster hand unless I do slow play it. In that case I'd rather risk someone hitting a river monster and bail out than just win the blinds plus a few calls. Doesn't happen often though.

Normally I like to win the hand before the river.

As said, it's hugely situational. There can be lots of factors, including someone who has a read on you, someone who won't call any raises whatsoever, or maybe you are short stacked in a game and really need your hand to pay off big to get back in.

I would add - if you are in doubt about the validity of slow playing, I would suggest you don't. Not until you reach a point where you start to think - "God, I should have played that slower". At that stage you'll start to recognise situations where it makes sense to slow play. Until you are sure, leave slow playing alone for the most part - it will crack a lot of your hands and erode the small pots you want to be accumulating.

[Poker Orifice]

I personally think that 'slowplaying' is way over used by novice or rookie players. The pattern of checking their big hands keeps them from getting paid off and when they do c-bet a flop they will get looked up (or floated on the flop & reraised or check-raised on the turn).
I generally play aggress (TAG) and am leading out on the majority of flops. Personally I like playing a flopped set hard (on a paired flop as well... opponent will often think, "who's going to bet their set hard like that,... this guy's a thief... I'm going to float him or put him allin.... etc.").

I'm going to limit my slowplaying to somewhere maybe ITM in a sng or when I think the time is right.. ie. letting a LAG or maniac bet out on me after he floats my c-bet on the flop,.. then check to him on the turn and let him think he can try to take it away from me... stuff like that.

In other words... I'm not slowplaying very often.

[PokeHerStars5]

With todays age in poker, and all the "novice" players, I've learned slowplaying is a bad idea... If i've been at a table for an hour or two and can tell the skill level of the players im with, i might try to pull a slow play with kings or such, but it's too risky with all these "novice" players to slow play anymore.

[kentucky_jim]

The problem I see is he called you all the way down so the bet on the river I wouldn't have made cause the only way you get called is by a hand that beats you.

[dwolfg]

I prefer to slowplay only when:

1. I have a monster(trips or better) and there is no way my opponent can have anything worth calling a bet.
2. I have a good hand(top two or better) and my image and the table conditions are such that the only way to get my opponents to put more money in the pot is to let them bluff at it.